Linux: Double Free
CVE-2024-49989 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 43c296870740a3a264cdca9f18db12e12e9cfbdb, df948b5ba6858d5da34f622d408e5517057cec07, cf6f3ebd6312d465fee096d1f58089b177c7c67f 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 0.26% 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 43c296870740a3a264cdca9f18db12e12e9cfbdb or df948b5ba6858d5da34f622d408e5517057cec07 or cf6f3ebd6312d465fee096d1f58089b177c7c67f or 7af9e6fa63dbd43a61d4ecc8f59426596a75e507, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.181 or 6.1.129 or 6.6.55 or 6.10.14, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4562236b3bc0a28aeb6ee93b2d8a849a4c4e1c7c up to, but not including, 43c296870740a3a264cdca9f18db12e12e9cfbdb; 4562236b3bc0a28aeb6ee93b2d8a849a4c4e1c7c up to, but not including, df948b5ba6858d5da34f622d408e5517057cec07; 4562236b3bc0a28aeb6ee93b2d8a849a4c4e1c7c up to, but not including, cf6f3ebd6312d465fee096d1f58089b177c7c67f; 4562236b3bc0a28aeb6ee93b2d8a849a4c4e1c7c up to, but not including, 7af9e6fa63dbd43a61d4ecc8f59426596a75e507; 4562236b3bc0a28aeb6ee93b2d8a849a4c4e1c7c up to, but not including, 3c0ff4de45ce2c5f7997a1ffa6eefee4b79e6b58; 4562236b3bc0a28aeb6ee93b2d8a849a4c4e1c7c up to, but not including, 20b5a8f9f4670a8503aa9fa95ca632e77c6bf55d; 4.15 | 43c296870740a3a264cdca9f18db12e12e9cfbdb, df948b5ba6858d5da34f622d408e5517057cec07, cf6f3ebd6312d465fee096d1f58089b177c7c67f, 7af9e6fa63dbd43a61d4ecc8f59426596a75e507, 3c0ff4de45ce2c5f7997a1ffa6eefee4b79e6b58, 20b5a8f9f4670a8503aa9fa95ca632e77c6bf55d |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 11.0 | Not stated |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | before 5.15.181; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.129; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.55; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.10.14; 6.11 up to, but not including, 6.11.3 | 5.15.181, 6.1.129, 6.6.55, 6.10.14, 6.11.3 |
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: drm/amd/display: fix double free issue during amdgpu module unload Flexible endpoints use DIGs from available inflexible endpoints, so only the encoders of inflexible links need to be freed. Otherwise, a double free issue may occur when unloading the amdgpu module. [ 279.190523] RIP: 0010:__slab_free+0x152/0x2f0 [ 279.190577] Call Trace: [ 279.190580] <TASK> [ 279.190582] ? show_regs+0x69/0x80 [ 279.190590] ? die+0x3b/0x90 [ 279.190595] ? do_trap+0xc8/0xe0 [ 279.190601] ? do_error_trap+0x73/0xa0 [ 279.190605] ? __slab_free+0x152/0x2f0 [ 279.190609] ? exc_invalid_op+0x56/0x70 [ 279.190616] ? __slab_free+0x152/0x2f0 [ 279.190642] ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x1f/0x30 [ 279.190648] ? dcn10_link_encoder_destroy+0x19/0x30 [amdgpu] [ 279.191096] ? __slab_free+0x152/0x2f0 [ 279.191102] ? dcn10_link_encoder_destroy+0x19/0x30 [amdgpu] [ 279.191469] kfree+0x260/0x2b0 [ 279.191474] dcn10_link_encoder_destroy+0x19/0x30 [amdgpu] [ 279.191821] link_destroy+0xd7/0x130 [amdgpu] [ 279.192248] dc_destruct+0x90/0x270 [amdgpu] [ 279.192666] dc_destroy+0x19/0x40 [amdgpu] [ 279.193020] amdgpu_dm_fini+0x16e/0x200 [amdgpu] [ 279.193432] dm_hw_fini+0x26/0x40 [amdgpu] [ 279.193795] amdgpu_device_fini_hw+0x24c/0x400 [amdgpu] [ 279.194108] amdgpu_driver_unload_kms+0x4f/0x70 [amdgpu] [ 279.194436] amdgpu_pci_remove+0x40/0x80 [amdgpu] [ 279.194632] pci_device_remove+0x3a/0xa0 [ 279.194638] device_remove+0x40/0x70 [ 279.194642] device_release_driver_internal+0x1ad/0x210 [ 279.194647] driver_detach+0x4e/0xa0 [ 279.194650] bus_remove_driver+0x6f/0xf0 [ 279.194653] driver_unregister+0x33/0x60 [ 279.194657] pci_unregister_driver+0x44/0x90 [ 279.194662] amdgpu_exit+0x19/0x1f0 [amdgpu] [ 279.194939] __do_sys_delete_module.isra.0+0x198/0x2f0 [ 279.194946] __x64_sys_delete_module+0x16/0x20 [ 279.194950] do_syscall_64+0x58/0x120 [ 279.194954] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6e/0x76 [ 279.194980] </TASK>
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/20b5a8f9f4670a8503aa9fa95ca632e77c6bf55d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c0ff4de45ce2c5f7997a1ffa6eefee4b79e6b58
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/43c296870740a3a264cdca9f18db12e12e9cfbdb
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7af9e6fa63dbd43a61d4ecc8f59426596a75e507
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf6f3ebd6312d465fee096d1f58089b177c7c67f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/df948b5ba6858d5da34f622d408e5517057cec07
Third-party and government advisories
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00028.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
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
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