Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-53103 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 285266ef92f7b4bf7d26e1e95e215ce6a6badb4a, 4fe1d42f2acc463b733bb42e3f8e67dbc2a0eb2d, 414476c4fb11be070c09ab8f3e75c9ee324a108a 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 0.24% 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 285266ef92f7b4bf7d26e1e95e215ce6a6badb4a or 4fe1d42f2acc463b733bb42e3f8e67dbc2a0eb2d or 414476c4fb11be070c09ab8f3e75c9ee324a108a or 7cf25987820350cb950856c71b409e5b6eed52bd, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 4.19.324 or 5.4.286 or 5.10.230 or 5.15.172, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 285266ef92f7b4bf7d26e1e95e215ce6a6badb4a; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 4fe1d42f2acc463b733bb42e3f8e67dbc2a0eb2d; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 414476c4fb11be070c09ab8f3e75c9ee324a108a; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 7cf25987820350cb950856c71b409e5b6eed52bd; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 98d8dde9232250a57ad5ef16479bf6a349e09b80; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 4bdc5a62c6e50600d8a1c3e18fd6dce0c27c9497; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, e0fe3392371293175f25028020ded5267f4cd8e3; ae0078fcf0a5eb3a8623bfb5f988262e0911fdb9 up to, but not including, 8621725afb38e111969c64280b71480afde2aace; and 2 more ranges | 285266ef92f7b4bf7d26e1e95e215ce6a6badb4a, 4fe1d42f2acc463b733bb42e3f8e67dbc2a0eb2d, 414476c4fb11be070c09ab8f3e75c9ee324a108a, 7cf25987820350cb950856c71b409e5b6eed52bd, 98d8dde9232250a57ad5ef16479bf6a349e09b80, 4bdc5a62c6e50600d8a1c3e18fd6dce0c27c9497 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | before 4.19.324; 4.20 up to, but not including, 5.4.286; 5.5 up to, but not including, 5.10.230; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.172; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.117; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.61; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.11.8; 6.12 | 4.19.324, 5.4.286, 5.10.230, 5.15.172, 6.1.117, 6.6.61 |
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 | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hv_sock: Initializing vsk->trans to NULL to prevent a dangling pointer When hvs is released, there is a possibility that vsk->trans may not be initialized to NULL, which could lead to a dangling pointer. This issue is resolved by initializing vsk->trans to NULL.
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: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/285266ef92f7b4bf7d26e1e95e215ce6a6badb4a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/414476c4fb11be070c09ab8f3e75c9ee324a108a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bdc5a62c6e50600d8a1c3e18fd6dce0c27c9497
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4fe1d42f2acc463b733bb42e3f8e67dbc2a0eb2d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7cf25987820350cb950856c71b409e5b6eed52bd
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8621725afb38e111969c64280b71480afde2aace
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/98d8dde9232250a57ad5ef16479bf6a349e09b80
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e0fe3392371293175f25028020ded5267f4cd8e3
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e629295bd60abf4da1db85b82819ca6a4f6c1e79
Other references
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.0 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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