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CVE Record

CVE-2024-27393: xen-netfront: Add missing skb_mark_for_recycle

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xen-netfront: Add missing skb_mark_for_recycle Notice that skb_mark_for_recycle() is introduced later than fixes tag in commit 6a5bcd84e886 ("page_pool: Allow drivers to hint on SKB recycling"). It is believed that fixes tag were missing a call to page_pool_release_page() between v5.9 to v5.14, after which is should have used skb_mark_for_recycle(). Since v6.6 the call page_pool_release_page() were removed (in commit 535b9c61bdef ("net: page_pool: hide page_pool_release_page()") and remaining callers converted (in commit 6bfef2ec0172 ("Merge branch 'net-page_pool-remove-page_pool_release_page'")). This leak became visible in v6.8 via commit dba1b8a7ab68 ("mm/page_pool: catch page_pool memory leaks").

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A missing Linux Xen network-driver recycling call can leak memory while processing network traffic. Sustained leakage may exhaust memory and disrupt an affected Xen guest, creating an availability risk. The supplied CVSS score is 7.5; no confidentiality or integrity impact is identified.

Executive priority

Treat this as a high-priority availability issue for Xen-based Linux workloads, especially exposed or memory-constrained guests. Inventory promptly and schedule supported kernel updates. Emergency response is not justified by the supplied evidence because active exploitation is unconfirmed.

Technical view

The xen-netfront driver failed to correctly return page-pool-backed packet buffers for recycling. Older kernels required page_pool_release_page(); later kernels required skb_mark_for_recycle(). The defect spans changing page-pool APIs and became more visible in Linux 6.8 after added leak detection. The supplied assessment indicates network-reachable, low-complexity denial of service without privileges or user interaction.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where Linux runs as a Xen guest and uses xen-netfront. The record identifies affected releases beginning with 5.9 and lists 5.15.154, 6.1.85, 6.6.26, 6.8.5, and 6.9. Distribution backports may change actual status, so version strings alone are insufficient.

Exploitation context

The supplied record is not in CISA KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit. CVSS describes a network-originated availability attack, but the source bundle does not document practical attack conditions, required traffic volume, or observed incidents.

Researcher notes

The fixes account for page-pool API evolution: release-page handling was needed in earlier branches, while later branches use skb_mark_for_recycle(). Linux 6.8 leak detection exposed the condition more clearly rather than necessarily introducing it. The affected-version representation is ambiguous; validate commit ancestry and distributor backports instead of relying only on release numbers.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade to a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable upstream xen-netfront fix.
  • Confirm distribution backport status against the five referenced Linux stable commits.
  • Prioritize Internet-facing or untrusted-network Xen guests with constrained memory.
  • Monitor affected guests until upgrades are completed and investigate unexplained memory growth or availability loss.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether each workload is a Xen guest using the xen-netfront driver.
  • Record running kernel versions and distribution package revisions.
  • Verify the installed kernel includes the relevant stable fix or documented vendor backport.
  • Review kernel logs for page-pool leak diagnostics, especially on Linux 6.8-era systems.
  • Compare guest memory consumption under normal network workloads before and after remediation.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
7

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

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CVE-2024-27393 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

2CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
6Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.5CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6Linux
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-27393Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux6c5aa6fc4defc2a0977a2c59e4710d50fa1e834c, 6c5aa6fc4defc2a0977a2c59e4710d50fa1e834c, 6c5aa6fc4defc2a0977a2c59e4710d50fa1e834c, 6c5aa6fc4defc2a0977a2c59e4710d50fa1e834c, 6c5aa6fc4defc2a0977a2c59e4710d50fa1e834cunaffected
LinuxLinux5.9, 0, 5.15.154, 6.1.85, 6.6.26, 6.8.5, 6.9affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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