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CVE Record

CVE-2024-35973: geneve: fix header validation in geneve[6]_xmit_skb

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: geneve: fix header validation in geneve[6]_xmit_skb syzbot is able to trigger an uninit-value in geneve_xmit() [1] Problem : While most ip tunnel helpers (like ip_tunnel_get_dsfield()) uses skb_protocol(skb, true), pskb_inet_may_pull() is only using skb->protocol. If anything else than ETH_P_IPV6 or ETH_P_IP is found in skb->protocol, pskb_inet_may_pull() does nothing at all. If a vlan tag was provided by the caller (af_packet in the syzbot case), the network header might not point to the correct location, and skb linear part could be smaller than expected. Add skb_vlan_inet_prepare() to perform a complete mac validation. Use this in geneve for the moment, I suspect we need to adopt this more broadly. v4 - Jakub reported v3 broke l2_tos_ttl_inherit.sh selftest - Only call __vlan_get_protocol() for vlan types. v2,v3 - Addressed Sabrina comments on v1 and v2 [1] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in geneve_xmit_skb drivers/net/geneve.c:910 [inline] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in geneve_xmit+0x302d/0x5420 drivers/net/geneve.c:1030 geneve_xmit_skb drivers/net/geneve.c:910 [inline] geneve_xmit+0x302d/0x5420 drivers/net/geneve.c:1030 __netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4903 [inline] netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4917 [inline] xmit_one net/core/dev.c:3531 [inline] dev_hard_start_xmit+0x247/0xa20 net/core/dev.c:3547 __dev_queue_xmit+0x348d/0x52c0 net/core/dev.c:4335 dev_queue_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:3091 [inline] packet_xmit+0x9c/0x6c0 net/packet/af_packet.c:276 packet_snd net/packet/af_packet.c:3081 [inline] packet_sendmsg+0x8bb0/0x9ef0 net/packet/af_packet.c:3113 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:730 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x30f/0x380 net/socket.c:745 __sys_sendto+0x685/0x830 net/socket.c:2191 __do_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2203 [inline] __se_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2199 [inline] __x64_sys_sendto+0x125/0x1d0 net/socket.c:2199 do_syscall_64+0xd5/0x1f0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6d/0x75 Uninit was created at: slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slub.c:3804 [inline] slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:3845 [inline] kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x613/0xc50 mm/slub.c:3888 kmalloc_reserve+0x13d/0x4a0 net/core/skbuff.c:577 __alloc_skb+0x35b/0x7a0 net/core/skbuff.c:668 alloc_skb include/linux/skbuff.h:1318 [inline] alloc_skb_with_frags+0xc8/0xbf0 net/core/skbuff.c:6504 sock_alloc_send_pskb+0xa81/0xbf0 net/core/sock.c:2795 packet_alloc_skb net/packet/af_packet.c:2930 [inline] packet_snd net/packet/af_packet.c:3024 [inline] packet_sendmsg+0x722d/0x9ef0 net/packet/af_packet.c:3113 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:730 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x30f/0x380 net/socket.c:745 __sys_sendto+0x685/0x830 net/socket.c:2191 __do_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2203 [inline] __se_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2199 [inline] __x64_sys_sendto+0x125/0x1d0 net/socket.c:2199 do_syscall_64+0xd5/0x1f0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6d/0x75 CPU: 0 PID: 5033 Comm: syz-executor346 Not tainted 6.9.0-rc1-syzkaller-00005-g928a87efa423 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 02/29/2024

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2024-35973 is a Linux kernel Geneve tunneling bug where malformed local packet handling can trigger use of uninitialized data and potentially crash or disrupt the host. It is not shown as actively exploited, but availability impact is high on exposed systems.

Executive priority

Treat as a moderate-priority infrastructure patching item. It is mainly a local availability risk, but it matters more on shared Linux hosts, network virtualization nodes, and systems supporting Geneve overlays.

Technical view

The flaw is in geneve_xmit_skb/geneve6_xmit_skb header validation. When skb->protocol differs from IPv4 or IPv6, VLAN-tagged input can leave network headers mispositioned and the linear skb smaller than expected. The upstream fix adds skb_vlan_inet_prepare() for fuller MAC/VLAN validation.

Likely exposure

Linux systems running affected kernel builds are relevant, especially where Geneve tunneling is available and local users or workloads can reach packet transmission paths. Exposure is local with low privileges per CVSS, not remote network-only from the provided evidence.

Exploitation context

The source evidence comes from syzbot triggering a KMSAN uninitialized-value report through AF_PACKET. The CVE is not listed in KEV, and the provided bundle does not show active exploitation or a public weaponized exploit.

Researcher notes

The affected-version data is kernel-centric and commit-heavy, so distro backport status matters. The core bug is incomplete header validation around VLAN protocol handling before Geneve transmit processing, with syzbot evidence showing uninitialized-value behavior rather than confirmed exploitation.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux kernel or distribution updates containing the stable Geneve validation fix.
  • Prioritize hosts using Geneve tunneling, virtualization networking, or multi-tenant local workloads.
  • Review Debian LTS and vendor advisories for package-specific fixed versions.
  • If immediate patching is delayed, check vendor guidance for supported temporary controls.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions against the CVE affected and fixed stable references.
  • Confirm whether Geneve is enabled, loaded, or operationally used on each host.
  • Verify installed kernel packages include the referenced upstream stable commits or vendor backports.
  • Review local user and workload ability to access packet-socket transmission paths.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
12

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-2024-35973 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
3ADP providers
13Source links

SSVC decision data

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

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

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
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

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-35973Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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
siemens-SADPADP container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux35385daa8db320d2d9664930c28e732578b0d7de, 6f92124d74419797fadfbcd5b7a72c384a6413ad, 71ad9260c001b217d704cda88ecea251b2d367da, d13f048dd40e8577260cd43faea8ec9b77520197, d13f048dd40e8577260cd43faea8ec9b77520197, d13f048dd40e8577260cd43faea8ec9b77520197, d13f048dd40e8577260cd43faea8ec9b77520197, d13f048dd40e8577260cd43faea8ec9b77520197, 9a51e36ebf433adf59c051bec33f5aa54640bb4d, 21815f28af8081b258552c111774ff320cf38d38unaffected
LinuxLinux5.13, 0, 4.19.313, 5.4.275, 5.10.216, 5.15.156, 6.1.87, 6.6.28, 6.8.7, 6.9affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.