Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2024-53216 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 a98fa661769edacd3bf319c4a150f00bea61945b, bd8524148dd8c123334b066faa90590ba2ef8e6f, 2e4854599200f4d021df8ae17e69221d7c149f3e 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 a98fa661769edacd3bf319c4a150f00bea61945b or bd8524148dd8c123334b066faa90590ba2ef8e6f or 2e4854599200f4d021df8ae17e69221d7c149f3e or ad4363a24a5746b257c0beb5d8cc68f9b62c173f, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.6.64 or 6.11.11 or 6.12.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 9ceddd9da13434a5906255c0fc528c385aded283 up to, but not including, a98fa661769edacd3bf319c4a150f00bea61945b; 9ceddd9da13434a5906255c0fc528c385aded283 up to, but not including, bd8524148dd8c123334b066faa90590ba2ef8e6f; 9ceddd9da13434a5906255c0fc528c385aded283 up to, but not including, 2e4854599200f4d021df8ae17e69221d7c149f3e; 9ceddd9da13434a5906255c0fc528c385aded283 up to, but not including, ad4363a24a5746b257c0beb5d8cc68f9b62c173f; 9ceddd9da13434a5906255c0fc528c385aded283 up to, but not including, f8c989a0c89a75d30f899a7cabdc14d72522bb8d; 4.20 | a98fa661769edacd3bf319c4a150f00bea61945b, bd8524148dd8c123334b066faa90590ba2ef8e6f, 2e4854599200f4d021df8ae17e69221d7c149f3e, ad4363a24a5746b257c0beb5d8cc68f9b62c173f, f8c989a0c89a75d30f899a7cabdc14d72522bb8d |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 4.20 up to, but not including, 6.6.64; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.11.11; 6.12 up to, but not including, 6.12.2 | 6.6.64, 6.11.11, 6.12.2 |
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 CNA.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: release svc_expkey/svc_export with rcu_work The last reference for `cache_head` can be reduced to zero in `c_show` and `e_show`(using `rcu_read_lock` and `rcu_read_unlock`). Consequently, `svc_export_put` and `expkey_put` will be invoked, leading to two issues: 1. The `svc_export_put` will directly free ex_uuid. However, `e_show`/`c_show` will access `ex_uuid` after `cache_put`, which can trigger a use-after-free issue, shown below. ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in svc_export_show+0x362/0x430 [nfsd] Read of size 1 at addr ff11000010fdc120 by task cat/870 CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 870 Comm: cat Not tainted 6.12.0-rc3+ #1 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.1-2.fc37 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x53/0x70 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x2c/0x3a0 print_report+0xb9/0x280 kasan_report+0xae/0xe0 svc_export_show+0x362/0x430 [nfsd] c_show+0x161/0x390 [sunrpc] seq_read_iter+0x589/0x770 seq_read+0x1e5/0x270 proc_reg_read+0xe1/0x140 vfs_read+0x125/0x530 ksys_read+0xc1/0x160 do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e Allocated by task 830: kasan_save_stack+0x20/0x40 kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30 __kasan_kmalloc+0x8f/0xa0 __kmalloc_node_track_caller_noprof+0x1bc/0x400 kmemdup_noprof+0x22/0x50 svc_export_parse+0x8a9/0xb80 [nfsd] cache_do_downcall+0x71/0xa0 [sunrpc] cache_write_procfs+0x8e/0xd0 [sunrpc] proc_reg_write+0xe1/0x140 vfs_write+0x1a5/0x6d0 ksys_write+0xc1/0x160 do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e Freed by task 868: kasan_save_stack+0x20/0x40 kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x3b/0x60 __kasan_slab_free+0x37/0x50 kfree+0xf3/0x3e0 svc_export_put+0x87/0xb0 [nfsd] cache_purge+0x17f/0x1f0 [sunrpc] nfsd_destroy_serv+0x226/0x2d0 [nfsd] nfsd_svc+0x125/0x1e0 [nfsd] write_threads+0x16a/0x2a0 [nfsd] nfsctl_transaction_write+0x74/0xa0 [nfsd] vfs_write+0x1a5/0x6d0 ksys_write+0xc1/0x160 do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e 2. We cannot sleep while using `rcu_read_lock`/`rcu_read_unlock`. However, `svc_export_put`/`expkey_put` will call path_put, which subsequently triggers a sleeping operation due to the following `dput`. ============================= WARNING: suspicious RCU usage 5.10.0-dirty #141 Not tainted ----------------------------- ... Call Trace: dump_stack+0x9a/0xd0 ___might_sleep+0x231/0x240 dput+0x39/0x600 path_put+0x1b/0x30 svc_export_put+0x17/0x80 e_show+0x1c9/0x200 seq_read_iter+0x63f/0x7c0 seq_read+0x226/0x2d0 vfs_read+0x113/0x2c0 ksys_read+0xc9/0x170 do_syscall_64+0x33/0x40 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x67/0xd1 Fix these issues by using `rcu_work` to help release `svc_expkey`/`svc_export`. This approach allows for an asynchronous context to invoke `path_put` and also facilitates the freeing of `uuid/exp/key` after an RCU grace period.
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
Other references
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.