---
cve: "CVE-2024-44991"
severity: "LOW"
cvss: 3.1
epss: "0.2%"
vendor: "Linux"
kev: false
exploited: false
published: "2024-09-04 20:15:08"
tags: [cve, security, low]
source: tsecurity.de CVE-Dossier
exported: "2026-09-21T08:40:35+02:00"
---

# CVE-2024-44991

> 3.1 LOW

## Beschreibung

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.

## Patch verfügbar (OSV)

- Kernel ≥ 6.1.107
- Kernel ≥ 6.6.48
- Kernel ≥ 6.10.7

## Referenzen

- <https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3d9de3742f4d5c47ae35f888d3023a5b54fcd2f>
- <https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99580ae890ec8bd98b21a2a9c6668f8f1555b62e>
- <https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6fd2dbf584a4047ba88d1369ff91c9851261ec1>
- <https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/565d121b69980637f040eb4d84289869cdaabedf>
- <https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html>

---
_Exportiert aus dem [tsecurity.de CVE-Dossier](https://tsecurity.de/cve?cve=CVE-2024-44991) · Datenquellen: EUVD (ENISA), NVD, OSV, CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS, Exploit-DB, BSI BITS_
