CVE-2024-53124: 
Linux Kernel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2024-53124 is a data race vulnerability discovered in the Linux kernel's networking subsystem, specifically affecting the sk->skforwardalloc functionality. The vulnerability was discovered when Syzkaller reported a warning during concurrent execution of tcpv6dorcv()/skforwardallocadd() when sk->skstate is TCPLISTEN with sk->sk_lock unlocked (Kernel Patch). The issue affects Linux kernel versions from 4.4 up to (excluding) 6.11.10, as well as 6.12 release candidates RC1 through RC7 (NVD).

The vulnerability manifests as a data race condition around sk->skforwardalloc when two threads concurrently call tcpv6dorcv(). The issue occurs because skbcloneandcharger() is called in tcpv6dorcv() when sk->skstate is TCPLISTEN, whereas it should only happen later in tcpv6synrecvsock(). In a test case with two threads calling tcpv6dorcv() with skb->truesize=768, the skforward_alloc value undergoes concurrent modifications leading to potential memory accounting errors. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.7 (MEDIUM) with vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (NVD).

The vulnerability can lead to memory accounting inconsistencies in the Linux kernel's networking stack. When exploited, it could potentially result in system instability or denial of service conditions due to improper memory management in network socket operations (NVD).

The issue has been fixed in the Linux kernel through patches that modify the behavior of skbcloneandcharger() calls in tcpv6dorcv() and dccpv6dorcv(). The fix adds a condition to prevent the problematic function call when the socket is in LISTEN state. The patch has been backported to various stable kernel versions (Kernel Patch). Users are advised to upgrade to patched kernel versions.