CVE-2024-50170

What it actually does

Potential memory leak in bcmasp_xmit() when DMA mapping fails, as the function returns NETDEV_TX_OK without calling dev_kfree_skb() to release the skb.

Why it matters to the business

Repeated leaks on affected systems can lead to gradual memory exhaustion, degrading network performance and risking instability or crashes in Linux-based network devices.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker generates network traffic that causes DMA mapping to fail inside bcmasp_xmit(), triggering the missing skb free path; no public exploitation is known and KEV status is false.

How to fix it

Apply the kernel patch that adds dev_kfree_skb() in bcmasp_xmit(); upgrade to a fixed kernel release containing this change.

How to confirm the fix worked

Inspect bcmasp_xmit() source to confirm presence of the dev_kfree_skb() call on mapping failure; monitor memory usage under load after patching.

Typical attack path

1. Send crafted or high-volume traffic to the bcmasp network interface
2. Force a DMA mapping failure condition in the transmit path
3. Allow the function to return without freeing the skb
4. Repeat to accumulate leaked memory

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for DMA mapping errors in the bcmasp transmit path and correlate with unexplained memory growth; no confirmed exploitation artifacts exist.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on systems using the bcmasp driver
• Test the patched kernel in a staging environment before broad deployment
• Monitor system memory and network driver logs for anomalies