CVE-2024-50097

What it actually does

Unconditional call to fec_ptp_save_state() on platforms lacking PTP support leaves fep structure members uninitialized after fec_ptp_init() is skipped, resulting in kernel panic from invalid memory access.

Why it matters to the business

Embedded Linux systems using i.MX25 or i.MX27 SoCs experience unexpected kernel crashes during network device operations, causing service interruptions and requiring reboots on affected hardware.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker or normal system activity invokes network device suspend/resume or state-save paths in the FEC driver; on unsupported platforms the missing initialization check allows the unconditional save call to dereference uninitialized pointers and panic the kernel.

How to fix it

Apply the upstream fix from commit 98f7e32f20d28ec452afb208f9cffc08448a2652 or later; rebuild and deploy kernels containing the added PTP support check before calling fec_ptp_save_state().

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the presence of the conditional guard around fec_ptp_save_state() in the FEC driver source; test device suspend/resume and PTP paths on i.MX25/i.MX27 hardware to ensure no panic occurs.

Typical attack path

1. Identify or control a system running the vulnerable FEC driver on i.MX25/i.MX27 hardware
2. Trigger a network device state transition that reaches fec_ptp_save_state()
3. Execute the unconditional save on uninitialized PTP members
4. Cause kernel panic and denial of service

How to detect it

Search kernel logs and crash dumps for FEC driver panic messages referencing ptp_save_state or uninitialized PTP members on i.MX25/i.MX27 platforms; correlate with device suspend or network events.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates containing commit 98f7e32f20d28ec452afb208f9cffc08448a2652 on all i.MX25 and i.MX27 deployments
• Audit embedded device fleets for FEC driver usage and schedule patching windows
• Monitor kernel logs for FEC-related panics until remediation is complete