CVE-2024-42162

What it actually does

Out-of-bounds memory access in gve_get_ethtool_stats when the NIC reports stats for fewer queues than expected because stopped queues are not accounted for, allowing invalid indexing into priv->stats_report->stats.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using the affected Google Virtual Ethernet driver may experience kernel crashes, memory corruption, or information disclosure, resulting in service outages or potential local privilege escalation on Linux hosts.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker triggers repeated ethtool stats queries while the driver encounters a subset of stopped queues, causing the stats-reading routine to index beyond allocated memory and corrupt kernel structures.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing commit 32675d828c8a392e20d5b42375ed112c407e4b62 or later stable release that includes the fix for gve queue accounting in stats reporting.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the running kernel contains commit 32675d828c8a392e20d5b42375ed112c407e4b62, confirm gve_get_ethtool_stats no longer performs out-of-bounds accesses under stopped-queue conditions, and monitor for related kernel oops or panic messages.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local shell or unprivileged process on affected Linux system
2. Load or ensure gve driver is active with multiple queues
3. Induce queue stop conditions combined with repeated ethtool -S queries
4. Trigger invalid array access leading to crash or memory corruption

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for oops or panic entries mentioning gve_get_ethtool_stats or stats_report array accesses; correlate with ethtool usage or driver queue state changes.

• gve_get_ethtool_stats
• priv->stats_report->stats
• stopped queues

What your security team should do

• Apply the referenced kernel commit or distribution update as soon as possible on all systems using the gve driver
• Prioritize patching of high-value or externally exposed Linux hosts
• Monitor vendor advisories for backported fixes in supported distributions