Detections
Analytics

Azure Linux 3.0 Security Update: kernel (CVE-2024-44991)

medium Nessus Plugin ID 296032

Synopsis

The remote Azure Linux host is missing one or more security updates.

Description

The version of kernel installed on the remote Azure Linux 3.0 host is prior to tested version. It is, therefore, affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the CVE-2024-44991 advisory.

 - In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: prevent concurrent execution of tcp_sk_exit_batch Its possible that two threads call tcp_sk_exit_batch() concurrently, once from the cleanup_net workqueue, once from a task that failed to clone a new netns. In the latter case, error unwinding calls the exit handlers in reverse order for the 'failed' netns. tcp_sk_exit_batch() calls tcp_twsk_purge(). Problem is that since commit b099ce2602d8 (net: Batch inet_twsk_purge), this function picks up twsk in any dying netns, not just the one passed in via exit_batch list. This means that the error unwind of setup_net() can steal and destroy timewait sockets belonging to the exiting netns. This allows the netns exit worker to proceed to call WARN_ON_ONCE(!refcount_dec_and_test(&net->ipv4.tcp_death_row.tw_refcount)); without the expected 1 -> 0 transition, which then splats. At same time, error unwind path that is also running inet_twsk_purge() will splat as well: WARNING: .. at lib/refcount.c:31 refcount_warn_saturate+0x1ed/0x210 ... refcount_dec include/linux/refcount.h:351 [inline] inet_twsk_kill+0x758/0x9c0 net/ipv4/inet_timewait_sock.c:70 inet_twsk_deschedule_put net/ipv4/inet_timewait_sock.c:221 inet_twsk_purge+0x725/0x890 net/ipv4/inet_timewait_sock.c:304 tcp_sk_exit_batch+0x1c/0x170 net/ipv4/tcp_ipv4.c:3522 ops_exit_list+0x128/0x180 net/core/net_namespace.c:178 setup_net+0x714/0xb40 net/core/net_namespace.c:375 copy_net_ns+0x2f0/0x670 net/core/net_namespace.c:508 create_new_namespaces+0x3ea/0xb10 kernel/nsproxy.c:110 ... because refcount_dec() of tw_refcount unexpectedly dropped to 0. This doesn't seem like an actual bug (no tw sockets got lost and I don't see a use-after-free) but as erroneous trigger of debug check. Add a mutex to force strict ordering: the task that calls tcp_twsk_purge() blocks other task from doing final _dec_and_test before mutex-owner has removed all tw sockets of dying netns.
 (CVE-2024-44991)

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Update the affected packages.

See Also

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-44991

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 296032

File Name: azure_linux_CVE-2024-44991.nasl

Version: 1.1

Type: local

Published: 1/22/2026

Updated: 1/22/2026

Supported Sensors: Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 4.4

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.6

Temporal Score: 3.4

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2024-44991

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 5.5

Temporal Score: 4.8

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-tools, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-docs, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-devel, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:bpftool, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-gpu, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-sound, x-cpe:/o:microsoft:azure_linux, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-accessibility, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:python3-perf, p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/cpu, Host/AzureLinux/release, Host/AzureLinux/rpm-list

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 10/8/2024

Vulnerability Publication Date: 9/4/2024

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2024-44991