CVE-2024-50302: Linux Kernel Use of Uninitialized Resource Vulnerability

CVE-2024-50302 is a use-of-uninitialized-resource flaw in the Linux kernel. It allows an attacker who can submit a specially crafted HID report to cause the kernel to leak memory contents. Kernel memory often holds sensitive material such as pointers, credentials, or cryptographic state, so even a limited leak can help an attacker map the system or prepare further attacks. The issue matters for any environment that runs a Linux kernel and processes HID input, including servers, desktops, virtual machines, and embedded devices that expose HID interfaces.

How it works

The vulnerability is classified as CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource). In the affected code path the kernel reads or returns data from a resource that has not been properly initialized before use. An attacker supplies a malicious HID report that triggers this path; the uninitialized data is then returned or otherwise exposed, resulting in a kernel-memory leak. No further exploit mechanics are required to understand the risk: the attacker needs only the ability to deliver the crafted report to a vulnerable kernel. Exact trigger conditions and affected code paths must be confirmed against the vendor advisory, because they can vary by kernel configuration and HID subsystem options.

Am I affected? How to find it in your systems

Any system running a Linux kernel that includes the HID subsystem is potentially in scope. Typical locations include physical hosts, cloud instances, containers that share the host kernel, IoT or industrial devices, and virtualization platforms that pass through HID devices. Inventory steps:

• Enumerate running kernels with uname -r and package-manager queries (for example, rpm -q kernel or dpkg -l linux-image-*).
• Check whether HID support is compiled in or loaded as modules (lsmod | grep hid, or inspect /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/hid).
• Identify systems that accept HID input from USB, Bluetooth, or virtual HID devices; these are the most likely attack surfaces.
• Compare the installed kernel version and configuration against the vendor advisory for CVE-2024-50302; do not rely on generic version ranges.

Telemetry signs of attempted exploitation are limited because the flaw produces a memory leak rather than an immediate crash. Look for unusual HID report traffic, unexpected kernel log messages related to HID parsing, or anomalous memory-access patterns if you have kernel-level monitoring. Absence of such signals does not prove safety; inventory and patch status remain the primary indicators.

How to remediate

Apply the vendor-supplied kernel update that addresses CVE-2024-50302 as soon as it is available for your distribution or vendor kernel. Follow the distribution’s normal kernel-update process (package manager, reboot into the new kernel, verify the running version). After patching, confirm that the fixed kernel is active and that any custom modules or out-of-tree HID drivers have also been rebuilt against the updated kernel. CISA guidance further recommends applying mitigations per vendor instructions, following applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinuing use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. No additional configuration changes are required once the patched kernel is running, but re-validate HID device functionality after the reboot.

If you can't patch immediately

Until the fixed kernel can be deployed, reduce exposure with compensating controls:

• Limit physical and logical access to HID interfaces; disable unused USB ports or Bluetooth HID profiles where operationally feasible.
• Segment systems that must accept HID input so that untrusted devices or networks cannot reach them.
• If a host-based or network firewall/WAF can inspect or drop anomalous HID traffic, enable such filtering as a temporary virtual patch; test carefully to avoid breaking legitimate devices.
• Increase monitoring of kernel logs and HID-related syscalls; alert on unexpected report sizes or error rates.
• For cloud or multi-tenant environments, prefer instances that already run a patched kernel image and restrict HID passthrough to guests.

These measures lower the chance of successful exploitation but do not eliminate the underlying flaw; schedule the kernel update promptly.

If your data may have been exposed

Public information does not document ransomware use of this vulnerability, yet any kernel-memory leak can assist an attacker who already has a foothold. If you suspect the flaw was exploited, treat the incident as a potential compromise: isolate affected hosts, collect forensic images, rotate credentials that may have resided in kernel memory, and review access logs for lateral movement. Independently of this CVE, you can run a free exposure scan of your email addresses against known breach data to determine whether credentials or personal information have appeared in prior incidents.