CVE-2024-50113

What it actually does

Invalid port index assigned to parent device during self-ID sequence enumeration in FireWire core causes out-of-bounds memory access and general protection fault when updating tree cache on controllers with nodes having three or more ports.

Why it matters to the business

System instability or crashes on affected Linux systems using FireWire hardware, with low likelihood of widespread exploitation but potential disruption in specialized environments; stable low EPSS indicates limited active threat.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access or ability to attach malicious FireWire nodes triggers the faulty helper function path during device tree cache updates, leading to invalid address computation and kernel fault; generic Linux kernel threat actors noted in campaigns may probe similar memory issues but no specific exploitation of this flaw reported.

How to fix it

Apply the upstream kernel fix for the self-ID helper function indexing error; for listed packages update flashplugin-nonfree (Ubuntu:14.04:LTS) to 11.2.202.521ubuntu0.14.04.1.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm kernel version contains the corrected port index assignment logic; reproduce with multi-port FireWire nodes and verify absence of WARN_ON and GPF during enumeration.

Typical attack path

1. Gain local access or physical connection to target system with 1394 OHCI controller
2. Attach multiple FireWire nodes each having three or more ports
3. Trigger self-ID sequence processing and tree cache update
4. Hit invalid port index leading to WARN_ON and GPF

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for firewire-related WARN_ON messages or general protection faults during device attachment; correlate with 1394 OHCI controller activity.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on systems exposing FireWire interfaces
• Audit hardware configurations for multi-port 1394 nodes
• Monitor for kernel panics related to firewire core