Linux: Double Free
CVE-2024-49853 is a high-severity double 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 d7f4fc2bc101e666da649605a9ece2bd42529c7a, 6699567b0bbb378600a4dc0a1f929439a4e84a2c, dc9543a4f2a5498a4a12d6d2427492a6f1a28056 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 d7f4fc2bc101e666da649605a9ece2bd42529c7a or 6699567b0bbb378600a4dc0a1f929439a4e84a2c or dc9543a4f2a5498a4a12d6d2427492a6f1a28056 or aef6ae124bb3cc12e34430fed91fbb7efd7a444d, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.113 or 6.6.54 or 6.10.13 or 6.11.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5f90f189a052f6fc46048f6ce29a37b709548b81 up to, but not including, d7f4fc2bc101e666da649605a9ece2bd42529c7a; 5f90f189a052f6fc46048f6ce29a37b709548b81 up to, but not including, 6699567b0bbb378600a4dc0a1f929439a4e84a2c; 5f90f189a052f6fc46048f6ce29a37b709548b81 up to, but not including, dc9543a4f2a5498a4a12d6d2427492a6f1a28056; 5f90f189a052f6fc46048f6ce29a37b709548b81 up to, but not including, aef6ae124bb3cc12e34430fed91fbb7efd7a444d; 5f90f189a052f6fc46048f6ce29a37b709548b81 up to, but not including, e98dba934b2fc587eafb83f47ad64d9053b18ae0; 5.18 | d7f4fc2bc101e666da649605a9ece2bd42529c7a, 6699567b0bbb378600a4dc0a1f929439a4e84a2c, dc9543a4f2a5498a4a12d6d2427492a6f1a28056, aef6ae124bb3cc12e34430fed91fbb7efd7a444d, e98dba934b2fc587eafb83f47ad64d9053b18ae0 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.18 up to, but not including, 6.1.113; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.54; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.10.13; 6.11 up to, but not including, 6.11.2 | 6.1.113, 6.6.54, 6.10.13, 6.11.2 |
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: firmware: arm_scmi: Fix double free in OPTEE transport Channels can be shared between protocols, avoid freeing the same channel descriptors twice when unloading the stack.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
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/6699567b0bbb378600a4dc0a1f929439a4e84a2c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/aef6ae124bb3cc12e34430fed91fbb7efd7a444d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7f4fc2bc101e666da649605a9ece2bd42529c7a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc9543a4f2a5498a4a12d6d2427492a6f1a28056
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e98dba934b2fc587eafb83f47ad64d9053b18ae0
Other references
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.