CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-53133NVD status: Modified

Linux: Double Free

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-53133 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 874ff59cde8fc525112dda26b501a1bac17dde9f, 6825cb07b79ffeb1d90ffaa7a1227462cdca34ae, 6.8 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 0.2% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 874ff59cde8fc525112dda26b501a1bac17dde9f or 6825cb07b79ffeb1d90ffaa7a1227462cdca34ae or 6.8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.11.10 or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinuxabd26a3252cbd1a3ae4e46d37596d176fe50b41a up to, but not including, 874ff59cde8fc525112dda26b501a1bac17dde9f; abd26a3252cbd1a3ae4e46d37596d176fe50b41a up to, but not including, 6825cb07b79ffeb1d90ffaa7a1227462cdca34ae; 2064f7529dfe0305d6fafda77fdf66701d428db5; 6.7.12 up to, but not including, 6.8; 6.8874ff59cde8fc525112dda26b501a1bac17dde9f, 6825cb07b79ffeb1d90ffaa7a1227462cdca34ae, 6.8
LinuxLinux Kernelbefore 6.11.10; 6.126.11.10

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 systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD
CVSS 3.17.8HighCISA (ADP)

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/amd/display: Handle dml allocation failure to avoid crash [Why] In the case where a dml allocation fails for any reason, the current state's dml contexts would no longer be valid. Then subsequent calls dc_state_copy_internal would shallow copy invalid memory and if the new state was released, a double free would occur. [How] Reset dml pointers in new_state to NULL and avoid invalid pointer (cherry picked from commit bcafdc61529a48f6f06355d78eb41b3aeda5296c)

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.

More Double Free vulnerabilities (CWE-415)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Double Free vulnerabilities

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