Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-41074 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 703bea37d13e4ccdafd17ae7c4cb583752ba7663, c32ee78fbc670e6f90989a45d340748e34cad333, 0845c553db11c84ff53fccd59da11b6d6ece4a60 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 0.22% 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 703bea37d13e4ccdafd17ae7c4cb583752ba7663 or c32ee78fbc670e6f90989a45d340748e34cad333 or 0845c553db11c84ff53fccd59da11b6d6ece4a60 or 4f8703fb3482f92edcfd31661857b16fec89c2c0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.101 or 6.6.42 or 6.9.11, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | c8383054506c77b814489c09877b5db83fd4abf2 up to, but not including, 703bea37d13e4ccdafd17ae7c4cb583752ba7663; c8383054506c77b814489c09877b5db83fd4abf2 up to, but not including, c32ee78fbc670e6f90989a45d340748e34cad333; c8383054506c77b814489c09877b5db83fd4abf2 up to, but not including, 0845c553db11c84ff53fccd59da11b6d6ece4a60; c8383054506c77b814489c09877b5db83fd4abf2 up to, but not including, 4f8703fb3482f92edcfd31661857b16fec89c2c0; 5.19 | 703bea37d13e4ccdafd17ae7c4cb583752ba7663, c32ee78fbc670e6f90989a45d340748e34cad333, 0845c553db11c84ff53fccd59da11b6d6ece4a60, 4f8703fb3482f92edcfd31661857b16fec89c2c0 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.19 up to, but not including, 6.1.101; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.42; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.9.11; 6.10 | 6.1.101, 6.6.42, 6.9.11 |
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.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cachefiles: Set object to close if ondemand_id < 0 in copen If copen is maliciously called in the user mode, it may delete the request corresponding to the random id. And the request may have not been read yet. Note that when the object is set to reopen, the open request will be done with the still reopen state in above case. As a result, the request corresponding to this object is always skipped in select_req function, so the read request is never completed and blocks other process. Fix this issue by simply set object to close if its id < 0 in copen.
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
Other references
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
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