Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-46674 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 b0979a885b9d4df2a25b88e9d444ccaa5f9f495c, f3498650df0805c75b4e1c94d07423c46cbf4ce1, 6aee4c5635d81f4809c3b9f0c198a65adfbb2ada 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 0.28% 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 b0979a885b9d4df2a25b88e9d444ccaa5f9f495c or f3498650df0805c75b4e1c94d07423c46cbf4ce1 or 6aee4c5635d81f4809c3b9f0c198a65adfbb2ada or 060f41243ad7f6f5249fa7290dda0c01f723d12d, 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 | f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, b0979a885b9d4df2a25b88e9d444ccaa5f9f495c; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, f3498650df0805c75b4e1c94d07423c46cbf4ce1; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, 6aee4c5635d81f4809c3b9f0c198a65adfbb2ada; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, 060f41243ad7f6f5249fa7290dda0c01f723d12d; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, 4c6735299540f3c82a5033d35be76a5c42e0fb18; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, e1e5e8ea2731150d5ba7c707f9e02fafebcfeb49; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, 1de989668708ce5875efc9d669d227212aeb9a90; f83fca0707c66e36f14efef7f68702cb12de70b7 up to, but not including, ddfcfeba891064b88bb844208b43bef2ef970f0c; and 1 more ranges | b0979a885b9d4df2a25b88e9d444ccaa5f9f495c, f3498650df0805c75b4e1c94d07423c46cbf4ce1, 6aee4c5635d81f4809c3b9f0c198a65adfbb2ada, 060f41243ad7f6f5249fa7290dda0c01f723d12d, 4c6735299540f3c82a5033d35be76a5c42e0fb18, e1e5e8ea2731150d5ba7c707f9e02fafebcfeb49 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 3.18 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, 6.1.108; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.49; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.10.8; 6.11 | 4.19.321, 5.4.283, 5.10.225, 5.15.166, 6.1.108, 6.6.49 |
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: usb: dwc3: st: fix probed platform device ref count on probe error path The probe function never performs any paltform device allocation, thus error path "undo_platform_dev_alloc" is entirely bogus. It drops the reference count from the platform device being probed. If error path is triggered, this will lead to unbalanced device reference counts and premature release of device resources, thus possible use-after-free when releasing remaining devm-managed resources.
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/060f41243ad7f6f5249fa7290dda0c01f723d12d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1de989668708ce5875efc9d669d227212aeb9a90
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c6735299540f3c82a5033d35be76a5c42e0fb18
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6aee4c5635d81f4809c3b9f0c198a65adfbb2ada
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b0979a885b9d4df2a25b88e9d444ccaa5f9f495c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ddfcfeba891064b88bb844208b43bef2ef970f0c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e1e5e8ea2731150d5ba7c707f9e02fafebcfeb49
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f3498650df0805c75b4e1c94d07423c46cbf4ce1
Other references
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.