Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2024-56674

Medium · 5.5

CVSS

5.5

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Dec 27, 2024

CISA due date

—

Cloudanix analysis

Monitor only SSVC: Track

A bug in the Linux kernel's handling of virtual network devices can make the whole computer crash when network connections are turned off and on repeatedly while sending lots of data.

Exploitation
Local Privilege
Attacker needs
Local User
Complexity
Moderate
Impact
Denial Of Service
Component
OS kernel
Class
Race Condition
Remediation
Upgrade
Effort
Medium
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

Incorrect invocation point of netdev_tx_reset_queue() in virtio_net leaves TX completions unconsumed after virtnet_close/virtnet_open cycles, triggering a kernel BUG in dql_completed during subsequent NAPI poll under BQL.

Why it matters to the business

Local users or automated scripts can crash the system by repeatedly toggling network interfaces under TX load, causing denial of service on affected Linux kernels; high downstream prevalence in virtualized environments increases operational risk until patched.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access runs a loop that sets the virtio network device down and up while generating heavy outbound traffic; the resulting delayed TX completions are processed after the misplaced queue reset, hitting the BQL stall detector and causing an invalid opcode crash.

How to fix it

Upgrade the Linux kernel to a version containing commit b4294d4ac61fbb382811a1d64eaf81f446ce2af4, which removes netdev_tx_reset_queue from virtnet_enable_queue_pair and places it after free_unused_bufs in the freeze/restore path.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the patch is present by checking the kernel source for the corrected netdev_tx_reset_queue placement after free_unused_bufs; reproduce the down/up loop under TX load and verify absence of dql_completed BUG.

Typical attack path

  1. Obtain local shell or script execution on the target system
  2. Generate sustained TX network load on the virtio_net interface
  3. Repeatedly execute interface down/up transitions
  4. Trigger unconsumed TX completions during the next NAPI poll
  5. Crash the kernel via dql_completed invalid opcode

How to detect it

Search kernel logs for 'kernel BUG at lib/dynamic_queue_limits.c:99' and 'Oops: invalid opcode' with virtio_net in the call trace; inspect for repeated ip link set down/up commands in audit or shell history during high TX periods.

What your security team should do

  • Prioritize kernel updates containing b4294d4ac61fbb382811a1d64eaf81f446ce2af4 on all systems using virtio_net
  • Monitor for local scripts or users performing rapid interface toggles under load
  • Apply the fix before the next scheduled reboot window given the ease of local reproduction

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: virtio_net: correct netdev_tx_reset_queue() invocation point When virtnet_close is followed by virtnet_open, some TX completions can possibly remain unconsumed, until they are finally processed during the first NAPI poll after the netdev_tx_reset_queue(), resulting in a crash [1]. Commit b96ed2c97c79 ("virtio_net: move netdev_tx_reset_queue() call before RX napi enable") was not sufficient to eliminate all BQL crash cases for virtio-net. This issue can be reproduced with the latest net-next master by running: `while :; do ip l set DEV down; ip l set DEV up; done` under heavy network TX load from inside the machine. netdev_tx_reset_queue() can actually be dropped from virtnet_open path; the device is not stopped in any case. For BQL core part, it's just like traffic nearly ceases to exist for some period. For stall detector added to BQL, even if virtnet_close could somehow lead to some TX completions delayed for long, followed by virtnet_open, we can just take it as stall as mentioned in commit 6025b9135f7a ("net: dqs: add NIC stall detector based on BQL"). Note also that users can still reset stall_max via sysfs. So, drop netdev_tx_reset_queue() from virtnet_enable_queue_pair(). This eliminates the BQL crashes. As a result, netdev_tx_reset_queue() is now explicitly required in freeze/restore path. This patch adds it to immediately after free_unused_bufs(), following the rule of thumb: netdev_tx_reset_queue() should follow any SKB freeing not followed by netdev_tx_completed_queue(). This seems the most consistent and streamlined approach, and now netdev_tx_reset_queue() runs whenever free_unused_bufs() is done. [1]: ------------[ cut here ]------------ kernel BUG at lib/dynamic_queue_limits.c:99! Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI CPU: 7 UID: 0 PID: 1598 Comm: ip Tainted: G N 6.12.0net-next_main+ #2 Tainted: [N]=TEST Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), \ BIOS rel-1.16.3-0-ga6ed6b701f0a-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:dql_completed+0x26b/0x290 Code: b7 c2 49 89 e9 44 89 da 89 c6 4c 89 d7 e8 ed 17 47 00 58 65 ff 0d 4d 27 90 7e 0f 85 fd fe ff ff e8 ea 53 8d ff e9 f3 fe ff ff <0f> 0b 01 d2 44 89 d1 29 d1 ba 00 00 00 00 0f 48 ca e9 28 ff ff ff RSP: 0018:ffffc900002b0d08 EFLAGS: 00010297 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff888102398c80 RCX: 0000000080190009 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 000000000000006a RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: ffff888102398c00 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 00000000000000ca R11: 0000000000015681 R12: 0000000000000001 R13: ffffc900002b0d68 R14: ffff88811115e000 R15: ffff8881107aca40 FS: 00007f41ded69500(0000) GS:ffff888667dc0000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000556ccc2dc1a0 CR3: 0000000104fd8003 CR4: 0000000000772ef0 PKRU: 55555554 Call Trace: <IRQ> ? die+0x32/0x80 ? do_trap+0xd9/0x100 ? dql_completed+0x26b/0x290 ? dql_completed+0x26b/0x290 ? do_error_trap+0x6d/0xb0 ? dql_completed+0x26b/0x290 ? exc_invalid_op+0x4c/0x60 ? dql_completed+0x26b/0x290 ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x16/0x20 ? dql_completed+0x26b/0x290 __free_old_xmit+0xff/0x170 [virtio_net] free_old_xmit+0x54/0xc0 [virtio_net] virtnet_poll+0xf4/0xe30 [virtio_net] ? __update_load_avg_cfs_rq+0x264/0x2d0 ? update_curr+0x35/0x260 ? reweight_entity+0x1be/0x260 __napi_poll.constprop.0+0x28/0x1c0 net_rx_action+0x329/0x420 ? enqueue_hrtimer+0x35/0x90 ? trace_hardirqs_on+0x1d/0x80 ? kvm_sched_clock_read+0xd/0x20 ? sched_clock+0xc/0x30 ? kvm_sched_clock_read+0xd/0x20 ? sched_clock+0xc/0x30 ? sched_clock_cpu+0xd/0x1a0 handle_softirqs+0x138/0x3e0 do_softirq.part.0+0x89/0xc0 </IRQ> <TASK> __local_bh_enable_ip+0xa7/0xb0 virtnet_open+0xc8/0x310 [virtio_net] __dev_open+0xfa/0x1b0 __dev_change_flags+0x1de/0x250 dev_change_flags+0x22/0x60 do_setlink.isra.0+0x2df/0x10b0 ? rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x34f/0x3f0 ? netlink_rcv_skb+0x54/0x100 ? netlink_unicas ---truncated---

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed
Debian:13 linux 0 6.12.6-1
Linux Kernel 6.11.0 6.12.6
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oem 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-bluefield 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-iot 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.10 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.14 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.6 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-allwinner-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-igx 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-5.17 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.1 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS:for:NVIDIA:BlueField linux-bluefield 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-6.11 0 6.11.0-1012.12~24.04.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-nvidia 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.11 0 6.11.0-1011.11~24.04.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-intel 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.11 0 6.11.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 6.11.0-1015.15
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-xilinx 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux 0 6.11.0-18.18
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-aws 0 6.11.0-1009.10
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-azure 0 6.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-gcp 0 6.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-lowlatency 0 6.11.0-1010.11
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-oracle 0 6.11.0-1011.12
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-raspi 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-raspi 0 6.11.0-1008.8
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-realtime 0 6.11.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:25.04 linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Nvidia-BlueField:22.04:LTS linux-bluefield 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix

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