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CVE Record

CVE-2024-43887: net/tcp: Disable TCP-AO static key after RCU grace period

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/tcp: Disable TCP-AO static key after RCU grace period The lifetime of TCP-AO static_key is the same as the last tcp_ao_info. On the socket destruction tcp_ao_info ceases to be with RCU grace period, while tcp-ao static branch is currently deferred destructed. The static key definition is : DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_DEFERRED_FALSE(tcp_ao_needed, HZ); which means that if RCU grace period is delayed by more than a second and tcp_ao_needed is in the process of disablement, other CPUs may yet see tcp_ao_info which atent dead, but soon-to-be. And that breaks the assumption of static_key_fast_inc_not_disabled(). See the comment near the definition: > * The caller must make sure that the static key can't get disabled while > * in this function. It doesn't patch jump labels, only adds a user to > * an already enabled static key. Originally it was introduced in commit eb8c507296f6 ("jump_label: Prevent key->enabled int overflow"), which is needed for the atomic contexts, one of which would be the creation of a full socket from a request socket. In that atomic context, it's known by the presence of the key (md5/ao) that the static branch is already enabled. So, the ref counter for that static branch is just incremented instead of holding the proper mutex. static_key_fast_inc_not_disabled() is just a helper for such usage case. But it must not be used if the static branch could get disabled in parallel as it's not protected by jump_label_mutex and as a result, races with jump_label_update() implementation details. Happened on netdev test-bot[1], so not a theoretical issue: [] jump_label: Fatal kernel bug, unexpected op at tcp_inbound_hash+0x1a7/0x870 [ffffffffa8c4e9b7] (eb 50 0f 1f 44 != 66 90 0f 1f 00)) size:2 type:1 [] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [] kernel BUG at arch/x86/kernel/jump_label.c:73! [] Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN NOPTI [] CPU: 3 PID: 243 Comm: kworker/3:3 Not tainted 6.10.0-virtme #1 [] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.16.3-0-ga6ed6b701f0a-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 [] Workqueue: events jump_label_update_timeout [] RIP: 0010:__jump_label_patch+0x2f6/0x350 ... [] Call Trace: [] <TASK> [] arch_jump_label_transform_queue+0x6c/0x110 [] __jump_label_update+0xef/0x350 [] __static_key_slow_dec_cpuslocked.part.0+0x3c/0x60 [] jump_label_update_timeout+0x2c/0x40 [] process_one_work+0xe3b/0x1670 [] worker_thread+0x587/0xce0 [] kthread+0x28a/0x350 [] ret_from_fork+0x31/0x70 [] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 [] </TASK> [] Modules linked in: veth [] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- [] RIP: 0010:__jump_label_patch+0x2f6/0x350 [1]: https://netdev-3.bots.linux.dev/vmksft-tcp-ao-dbg/results/696681/5-connect-deny-ipv6/stderr

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2024-43887 is a Linux kernel TCP-AO race condition. Under specific timing, kernel housekeeping for TCP Authentication Option state can collide with deferred static-key disablement and trigger a fatal kernel bug. The provided sources show this happened in automated netdev testing, but they do not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a kernel reliability and availability risk. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, with faster handling for systems using TCP-AO, internet-facing routing infrastructure, or environments where kernel crashes have high business impact.

Technical view

The issue involves tcp_ao_info lifetime under RCU and the deferred tcp_ao_needed static key. If RCU grace-period timing overlaps static-key disablement, static_key_fast_inc_not_disabled() can race jump_label_update(), breaking its required assumption and causing a kernel BUG in jump label patching.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux kernels in the affected range identified by the CVE data, especially systems using or testing TCP-AO. Distribution backports may change exposure, so kernel package advisory mapping is required.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not cite KEV status, public exploitation, or weaponized exploitation. It does state the fault occurred in netdev test-bot results, so the bug is reproducible in testing rather than purely theoretical.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a concurrency flaw in TCP-AO static-key lifetime handling. The available sources do not provide CVSS, CWE, exploit prerequisites, or distro-specific fixed versions. Avoid assuming remote exploitability without further vendor analysis.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a Linux kernel or distribution package containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Check distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions and backport status.
  • Prioritize systems using TCP-AO or running affected kernel branches.
  • Monitor kernel logs for related BUG/Oops crashes until patched.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions and compare them with vendor advisories for CVE-2024-43887.
  • Confirm whether TCP-AO is enabled or used on exposed Linux systems.
  • Review package changelogs for the referenced stable commit IDs.
  • Check logs for jump_label or tcp_inbound_hash kernel BUG entries.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
4

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

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CVE-2024-43887 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
3Source links

SSVC decision data

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

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
other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux67fa83f7c86a86913ab9cd5a13b4bebd8d2ebb43, 67fa83f7c86a86913ab9cd5a13b4bebd8d2ebb43unaffected
LinuxLinux6.7, 0, 6.10.5, 6.11affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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