Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-35979 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 3f28d49a328fe20926995d5fbdc92da665596268, f423f41b7679c09abb26d2bd54be5cbef23c9446, fcf3f7e2fc8a53a6140beee46ec782a4c88e4744 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.23% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 3f28d49a328fe20926995d5fbdc92da665596268 or f423f41b7679c09abb26d2bd54be5cbef23c9446 or fcf3f7e2fc8a53a6140beee46ec782a4c88e4744, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.6.28 or 6.8.7, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 992db13a4aee766c8bfbf046ad15c2db5fa7cab8 up to, but not including, 3f28d49a328fe20926995d5fbdc92da665596268; 992db13a4aee766c8bfbf046ad15c2db5fa7cab8 up to, but not including, f423f41b7679c09abb26d2bd54be5cbef23c9446; 992db13a4aee766c8bfbf046ad15c2db5fa7cab8 up to, but not including, fcf3f7e2fc8a53a6140beee46ec782a4c88e4744; 6.6 | 3f28d49a328fe20926995d5fbdc92da665596268, f423f41b7679c09abb26d2bd54be5cbef23c9446, fcf3f7e2fc8a53a6140beee46ec782a4c88e4744 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.6 up to, but not including, 6.6.28; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.8.7; 6.9 | 6.6.28, 6.8.7 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: raid1: fix use-after-free for original bio in raid1_write_request() r1_bio->bios[] is used to record new bios that will be issued to underlying disks, however, in raid1_write_request(), r1_bio->bios[] will set to the original bio temporarily. Meanwhile, if blocked rdev is set, free_r1bio() will be called causing that all r1_bio->bios[] to be freed: raid1_write_request() r1_bio = alloc_r1bio(mddev, bio); -> r1_bio->bios[] is NULL for (i = 0; i < disks; i++) -> for each rdev in conf // first rdev is normal r1_bio->bios[0] = bio; -> set to original bio // second rdev is blocked if (test_bit(Blocked, &rdev->flags)) break if (blocked_rdev) free_r1bio() put_all_bios() bio_put(r1_bio->bios[0]) -> original bio is freed Test scripts: mdadm -CR /dev/md0 -l1 -n4 /dev/sd[abcd] --assume-clean fio -filename=/dev/md0 -ioengine=libaio -rw=write -bs=4k -numjobs=1 \ -iodepth=128 -name=test -direct=1 echo blocked > /sys/block/md0/md/rd2/state Test result: BUG bio-264 (Not tainted): Object already free ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allocated in mempool_alloc_slab+0x24/0x50 age=1 cpu=1 pid=869 kmem_cache_alloc+0x324/0x480 mempool_alloc_slab+0x24/0x50 mempool_alloc+0x6e/0x220 bio_alloc_bioset+0x1af/0x4d0 blkdev_direct_IO+0x164/0x8a0 blkdev_write_iter+0x309/0x440 aio_write+0x139/0x2f0 io_submit_one+0x5ca/0xb70 __do_sys_io_submit+0x86/0x270 __x64_sys_io_submit+0x22/0x30 do_syscall_64+0xb1/0x210 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6c/0x74 Freed in mempool_free_slab+0x1f/0x30 age=1 cpu=1 pid=869 kmem_cache_free+0x28c/0x550 mempool_free_slab+0x1f/0x30 mempool_free+0x40/0x100 bio_free+0x59/0x80 bio_put+0xf0/0x220 free_r1bio+0x74/0xb0 raid1_make_request+0xadf/0x1150 md_handle_request+0xc7/0x3b0 md_submit_bio+0x76/0x130 __submit_bio+0xd8/0x1d0 submit_bio_noacct_nocheck+0x1eb/0x5c0 submit_bio_noacct+0x169/0xd40 submit_bio+0xee/0x1d0 blkdev_direct_IO+0x322/0x8a0 blkdev_write_iter+0x309/0x440 aio_write+0x139/0x2f0 Since that bios for underlying disks are not allocated yet, fix this problem by using mempool_free() directly to free the r1_bio.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.0 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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