CVE-2024-50163: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Make sure internal and UAPI bpf_redirect flags don't overlap The bpf_redire...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Make sure internal and UAPI bpf_redirect flags don't overlap The bpf_redirect_info is shared between the SKB and XDP redirect paths, and the two paths use the same numeric flag values in the ri->flags field (specifically, BPF_F_BROADCAST == BPF_F_NEXTHOP). This means that if skb bpf_redirect_neigh() is used with a non-NULL params argument and, subsequently, an XDP redirect is performed using the same bpf_redirect_info struct, the XDP path will get confused and end up crashing, which syzbot managed to trigger. With the stack-allocated bpf_redirect_info, the structure is no longer shared between the SKB and XDP paths, so the crash doesn't happen anymore. However, different code paths using identically-numbered flag values in the same struct field still seems like a bit of a mess, so this patch cleans that up by moving the flag definitions together and redefining the three flags in BPF_F_REDIRECT_INTERNAL to not overlap with the flags used for XDP. It also adds a BUILD_BUG_ON() check to make sure the overlap is not re-introduced by mistake.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.22%

11.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.14, < 5.15.170	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.16, < 6.1.115	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.2, < 6.6.59	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.7, < 6.11.6	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	6.12	Rc1

References

Timeline

Published: Nov 7, 2024
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-50163?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Make sure internal and UAPI bpf_redirect flags don't overlap The bpf_redirect_info is shared between the SKB and XDP redirect paths, and the two paths use the same numeric flag values in the ri->flags field (specifically, BPF_F_BROADCAST == BPF_F_NEXTHOP). This means that if skb bpf_redirect_neigh() is used with a non-NULL params argument and, subsequently, an XDP redirect is performed using the same bpf_redirect_info struct, the XDP path will get confused and end up crashing, which syzbot managed to trigger. With the stack-allocated bpf_redirect_info, the structure is no longer shared between the SKB and XDP paths, so the crash doesn't happen anymore. However, different code paths using identically-numbered flag values in the same struct field still seems like a bit of a mess, so this patch cleans that up by moving the flag definitions together and redefining the three flags in BPF_F_REDIRECT_INTERNAL to not overlap with the flags used for XDP. It also adds a BUILD_BUG_ON() check to make sure the overlap is not re-introduced by mistake.

How severe is CVE-2024-50163?

CVE-2024-50163 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.22% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2024-50163?

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.