Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-53139 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 ad975697211f4f2c4ce61c3ba524fd14d88ceab8, 05656a66592759242c74063616291b7274d11b2f, eb72e7fcc83987d5d5595b43222f23b295d5de7f 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 0.21% 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 ad975697211f4f2c4ce61c3ba524fd14d88ceab8 or 05656a66592759242c74063616291b7274d11b2f or eb72e7fcc83987d5d5595b43222f23b295d5de7f, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.6.63 or 6.11.10, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6fe1e52490a91cb23f6b3aafc93e7c5beb99f862 up to, but not including, ad975697211f4f2c4ce61c3ba524fd14d88ceab8; 6fe1e52490a91cb23f6b3aafc93e7c5beb99f862 up to, but not including, 05656a66592759242c74063616291b7274d11b2f; 6fe1e52490a91cb23f6b3aafc93e7c5beb99f862 up to, but not including, eb72e7fcc83987d5d5595b43222f23b295d5de7f; 6.2 | ad975697211f4f2c4ce61c3ba524fd14d88ceab8, 05656a66592759242c74063616291b7274d11b2f, eb72e7fcc83987d5d5595b43222f23b295d5de7f |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.63; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.11.10; 6.12 | 6.6.63, 6.11.10 |
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 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: sctp: fix possible UAF in sctp_v6_available() A lockdep report [1] with CONFIG_PROVE_RCU_LIST=y hints that sctp_v6_available() is calling dev_get_by_index_rcu() and ipv6_chk_addr() without holding rcu. [1] ============================= WARNING: suspicious RCU usage 6.12.0-rc5-virtme #1216 Tainted: G W ----------------------------- net/core/dev.c:876 RCU-list traversed in non-reader section!! other info that might help us debug this: rcu_scheduler_active = 2, debug_locks = 1 1 lock held by sctp_hello/31495: #0: ffff9f1ebbdb7418 (sk_lock-AF_INET6){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: sctp_bind (./arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h:27 net/sctp/socket.c:315) sctp stack backtrace: CPU: 7 UID: 0 PID: 31495 Comm: sctp_hello Tainted: G W 6.12.0-rc5-virtme #1216 Tainted: [W]=WARN Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.3-debian-1.16.3-2 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl (lib/dump_stack.c:123) lockdep_rcu_suspicious (kernel/locking/lockdep.c:6822) dev_get_by_index_rcu (net/core/dev.c:876 (discriminator 7)) sctp_v6_available (net/sctp/ipv6.c:701) sctp sctp_do_bind (net/sctp/socket.c:400 (discriminator 1)) sctp sctp_bind (net/sctp/socket.c:320) sctp inet6_bind_sk (net/ipv6/af_inet6.c:465) ? security_socket_bind (security/security.c:4581 (discriminator 1)) __sys_bind (net/socket.c:1848 net/socket.c:1869) ? do_user_addr_fault (./include/linux/rcupdate.h:347 ./include/linux/rcupdate.h:880 ./include/linux/mm.h:729 arch/x86/mm/fault.c:1340) ? do_user_addr_fault (./arch/x86/include/asm/preempt.h:84 (discriminator 13) ./include/linux/rcupdate.h:98 (discriminator 13) ./include/linux/rcupdate.h:882 (discriminator 13) ./include/linux/mm.h:729 (discriminator 13) arch/x86/mm/fault.c:1340 (discriminator 13)) __x64_sys_bind (net/socket.c:1877 (discriminator 1) net/socket.c:1875 (discriminator 1) net/socket.c:1875 (discriminator 1)) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 (discriminator 1) arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 (discriminator 1)) entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:130) RIP: 0033:0x7f59b934a1e7 Code: 44 00 00 48 8b 15 39 8c 0c 00 f7 d8 64 89 02 b8 ff ff ff ff eb bd 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 0f 1f 00 b8 31 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d 09 8c 0c 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48 All code ======== 0: 44 00 00 add %r8b,(%rax) 3: 48 8b 15 39 8c 0c 00 mov 0xc8c39(%rip),%rdx # 0xc8c43 a: f7 d8 neg %eax c: 64 89 02 mov %eax,%fs:(%rdx) f: b8 ff ff ff ff mov $0xffffffff,%eax 14: eb bd jmp 0xffffffffffffffd3 16: 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 cs nopw 0x0(%rax,%rax,1) 1d: 00 00 00 20: 0f 1f 00 nopl (%rax) 23: b8 31 00 00 00 mov $0x31,%eax 28: 0f 05 syscall 2a:* 48 3d 01 f0 ff ff cmp $0xfffffffffffff001,%rax <-- trapping instruction 30: 73 01 jae 0x33 32: c3 ret 33: 48 8b 0d 09 8c 0c 00 mov 0xc8c09(%rip),%rcx # 0xc8c43 3a: f7 d8 neg %eax 3c: 64 89 01 mov %eax,%fs:(%rcx) 3f: 48 rex.W Code starting with the faulting instruction =========================================== 0: 48 3d 01 f0 ff ff cmp $0xfffffffffffff001,%rax 6: 73 01 jae 0x9 8: c3 ret 9: 48 8b 0d 09 8c 0c 00 mov 0xc8c09(%rip),%rcx # 0xc8c19 10: f7 d8 neg %eax 12: 64 89 01 mov %eax,%fs:(%rcx) 15: 48 rex.W RSP: 002b:00007ffe2d0ad398 EFLAGS: 00000202 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000031 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007ffe2d0ad3d0 RCX: 00007f59b934a1e7 RDX: 000000000000001c RSI: 00007ffe2d0ad3d0 RDI: 0000000000000005 RBP: 0000000000000005 R08: 1999999999999999 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 00007f59b9253298 R11: 000000000000 ---truncated---
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
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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