CVE-2024-42072: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix may_goto with negative offset. Zac's syzbot crafted a bpf prog that exp...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix may_goto with negative offset. Zac's syzbot crafted a bpf prog that exposed two bugs in may_goto. The 1st bug is the way may_goto is patched. When offset is negative it should be patched differently. The 2nd bug is in the verifier: when current state may_goto_depth is equal to visited state may_goto_depth it means there is an actual infinite loop. It's not correct to prune exploration of the program at this point. Note, that this check doesn't limit the program to only one may_goto insn, since 2nd and any further may_goto will increment may_goto_depth only in the queued state pushed for future exploration. The current state will have may_goto_depth == 0 regardless of number of may_goto insns and the verifier has to explore the program until bpf_exit.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.23%

13.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.9, < 6.9.8	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	6.10	Rc1

References

Timeline

Published: Jul 29, 2024
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-42072?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix may_goto with negative offset. Zac's syzbot crafted a bpf prog that exposed two bugs in may_goto. The 1st bug is the way may_goto is patched. When offset is negative it should be patched differently. The 2nd bug is in the verifier: when current state may_goto_depth is equal to visited state may_goto_depth it means there is an actual infinite loop. It's not correct to prune exploration of the program at this point. Note, that this check doesn't limit the program to only one may_goto insn, since 2nd and any further may_goto will increment may_goto_depth only in the queued state pushed for future exploration. The current state will have may_goto_depth == 0 regardless of number of may_goto insns and the verifier has to explore the program until bpf_exit.

How severe is CVE-2024-42072?

CVE-2024-42072 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.23% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2024-42072?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.