CVE-2024-50260: 
Linux Debian vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2024-50260 affects the Linux kernel's sock_map functionality. The vulnerability involves a NULL pointer dereference in the sock_map_link_update_prog() function due to a race condition. This issue was discovered and reported in November 2024, affecting Linux kernel versions from 6.10 up to (excluding) 6.11.7, as well as version 6.12 release candidates (rc1-rc5) (NVD).

The vulnerability stems from a race condition in the sock_map_link_update_prog() function where a NULL pointer dereference can occur. The race condition manifests when sock_map_link_detach() sets sockmap_link->map to NULL after releasing the sockmap_mutex, followed by sock_map_link_update_prog() attempting to use the now-NULL pointer. The issue has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.7 (Medium), with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (NVD, Kernel Patch).

When successfully exploited, this vulnerability can lead to a system crash (denial of service) through a NULL pointer dereference in the kernel's sock_map functionality (NVD).

The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges and high attack complexity to exploit. There are no known reports of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild (NVD).

The vulnerability has been fixed by adding a NULL pointer check in the sock_map_link_update_prog() function. The fix prevents updating a link that is being released. The patch has been incorporated into Linux kernel version 6.11.7 and later releases (Kernel Patch).