Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Gets PoC Release

A newly disclosed vulnerability in the Linux kernel’s ipset component, tracked as CVE-2024-53141, has raised significant security concerns after a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit was publicly released.

The flaw, which affects kernel versions from v2.7 through v6.12, enables attackers to escalate privileges and potentially execute arbitrary code at the kernel level—a critical threat for servers, desktops, and cloud environments relying on Linux.

Technical Details: Out-of-Bounds Access in Netfilter’s ipset

According to the report, the vulnerability resides in the netfilter subsystem’s ipset feature, specifically within the bitmap_ip_uadt function.

This function is responsible for handling updates to IP sets, which are used for high-speed matching of IP addresses, networks, and ports in firewall rules.

The flaw emerges when the function processes requests containing the IPSET_ATTR_CIDR parameter without an accompanying IPSET_ATTR_IP_TO. In this scenario, a crucial range check on the starting IP address is inadvertently skipped.

As a result, the function may compute IP address ranges that extend beyond the allocated memory boundaries, leading to out-of-bounds (OOB) memory access.

This OOB access allows attackers to manipulate memory outside the intended area, opening the door to several exploitation techniques:

• Kernel Heap Address Leak: By crafting malicious data during comment initialization, attackers can leak kernel heap addresses, which are essential for bypassing kernel address space layout randomization (KASLR).
• Arbitrary Memory Write: Attackers can write controlled values outside valid memory bounds, potentially corrupting critical kernel structures.
• Use-After-Free Condition: Through careful memory layout manipulation, the vulnerability can be escalated to a use-after-free, allowing attackers to reclaim and control freed kernel memory.

Exploitation Chain and Impact

Security researchers have demonstrated a multi-stage exploitation process using the PoC.

The attack chain begins with leaking heap addresses, followed by arbitrary writes to gain further control over kernel memory.

Ultimately, the attacker can overwrite function pointers, such as those in the pipe_buffer structure—to hijack kernel control flow.

The final stage leverages the classic core_pattern technique: By overwriting the kernel’s crash handler path, the attacker ensures that a user-controlled binary is executed with root privileges whenever a process crashes.

This grants the attacker a root shell and complete control over the affected system.

Affected Systems and Severity

CVE-2024-53141 impacts a broad range of Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, SUSE, and container-optimized OS variants, as confirmed in recent security bulletins.

The vulnerability has been rated with a CVSS score of 7.8, reflecting its high potential for privilege escalation and system compromise.

Mitigation and Recommendations

With a working exploit now available in the wild, system administrators are urged to take immediate action:

• Update the Linux Kernel: Apply patches as soon as they become available from your distribution. The vulnerability is addressed by implementing the missing range check in the affected function.
• Monitor for Unusual Activity: Watch for signs of exploitation, such as unexpected kernel crashes or privilege escalations.
• Restrict Access: Limit user access to IPset management where possible, reducing the attack surface.

CVE-2024-53141 underscores the importance of rigorous input validation in kernel code and the risks posed by subtle bugs in widely used components.

With a PoC now public, timely patching is critical to prevent exploitation and safeguard Linux systems from kernel-level compromise.

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