CVE-2024-50167

What it actually does

Failure to release socket buffer (skb) memory when packet transmission enqueue fails in the be2net network driver, resulting in a memory leak.

Why it matters to the business

Over time repeated triggers can exhaust system memory leading to degraded network performance or system instability on affected Linux systems.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker generates network traffic that causes be_xmit_enqueue to fail such as under high load or resource contention allowing the skb to leak without being freed.

How to fix it

Apply the kernel patch that adds dev_kfree_skb_any() in be_xmit() or update to a kernel version containing the fix.

How to confirm the fix worked

Review source code of be_xmit function to confirm dev_kfree_skb_any call is present on error path; monitor memory usage during packet transmission tests.

Typical attack path

1. Send crafted or high-volume network packets to the interface using be2net driver
2. Trigger failure in be_xmit_enqueue function
3. Observe skb not freed leading to memory leak accumulation

How to detect it

Look for increasing memory usage correlated with network activity on systems using be2net; check kernel logs for related driver errors.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize patching Linux kernels with be2net driver
• Monitor for memory leaks in network drivers
• Test network functionality post-update