Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-44998 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 628ea82190a678a56d2ec38cda3addf3b3a6248d, 09e086a5f72ea27c758b3f3b419a69000c32adc1, 1cece837e387c039225f19028df255df87a97c0d 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 0.79% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 57% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 628ea82190a678a56d2ec38cda3addf3b3a6248d or 09e086a5f72ea27c758b3f3b419a69000c32adc1 or 1cece837e387c039225f19028df255df87a97c0d or 24cf390a5426aac9255205e9533cdd7b4235d518, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 4.19.321 or 5.4.283 or 5.10.225 or 5.15.166, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, 628ea82190a678a56d2ec38cda3addf3b3a6248d; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, 09e086a5f72ea27c758b3f3b419a69000c32adc1; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, 1cece837e387c039225f19028df255df87a97c0d; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, 24cf390a5426aac9255205e9533cdd7b4235d518; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, 379a6a326514a3e2f71b674091dfb0e0e7522b55; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, ef23c18ab88e33ce000d06a5c6aad0620f219bfd; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, 91b4850e7165a4b7180ef1e227733bcb41ccdf10; 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 up to, but not including, a9a18e8f770c9b0703dab93580d0b02e199a4c79; and 1 more ranges | 628ea82190a678a56d2ec38cda3addf3b3a6248d, 09e086a5f72ea27c758b3f3b419a69000c32adc1, 1cece837e387c039225f19028df255df87a97c0d, 24cf390a5426aac9255205e9533cdd7b4235d518, 379a6a326514a3e2f71b674091dfb0e0e7522b55, ef23c18ab88e33ce000d06a5c6aad0620f219bfd |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 2.6.12 up to, but not including, 4.19.321; 4.20 up to, but not including, 5.4.283; 5.5 up to, but not including, 5.10.225; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.166; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.107; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.48; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.10.7; 6.11 | 4.19.321, 5.4.283, 5.10.225, 5.15.166, 6.1.107, 6.6.48 |
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 | 9.8 | Critical | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: atm: idt77252: prevent use after free in dequeue_rx() We can't dereference "skb" after calling vcc->push() because the skb is released.
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
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/09e086a5f72ea27c758b3f3b419a69000c32adc1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1cece837e387c039225f19028df255df87a97c0d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/24cf390a5426aac9255205e9533cdd7b4235d518
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/379a6a326514a3e2f71b674091dfb0e0e7522b55
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/628ea82190a678a56d2ec38cda3addf3b3a6248d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/91b4850e7165a4b7180ef1e227733bcb41ccdf10
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a9a18e8f770c9b0703dab93580d0b02e199a4c79
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ef23c18ab88e33ce000d06a5c6aad0620f219bfd
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
- 7.8 High severity
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