CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-54458NVD status: Modified

Linux: Use After Free

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-54458 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 bb4783c670180b922267222408e1c48d22dfbb46, 22018622e1e9e371198dbd983af946a844d5924c, 5e7b6e44468c3242c21c2a8656d009fb3eb50a73 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.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to bb4783c670180b922267222408e1c48d22dfbb46 or 22018622e1e9e371198dbd983af946a844d5924c or 5e7b6e44468c3242c21c2a8656d009fb3eb50a73 or 5f782d4741bf558def60df192b858b0efc6a5f0a, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.129 or 6.6.79 or 6.12.16 or 6.13.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinuxdf032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, bb4783c670180b922267222408e1c48d22dfbb46; df032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, 22018622e1e9e371198dbd983af946a844d5924c; df032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, 5e7b6e44468c3242c21c2a8656d009fb3eb50a73; df032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, 5f782d4741bf558def60df192b858b0efc6a5f0a; df032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, 88a01e9c9ad40c075756ba93b47984461d4ff15d; df032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, 9193bdc170cc23fe98aca71d1a63c0bf6e1e853b; df032bf27a414acf61c957ec2fad22a57d903b39 up to, but not including, 1e95c798d8a7f70965f0f88d4657b682ff0ec75f; 4.20bb4783c670180b922267222408e1c48d22dfbb46, 22018622e1e9e371198dbd983af946a844d5924c, 5e7b6e44468c3242c21c2a8656d009fb3eb50a73, 5f782d4741bf558def60df192b858b0efc6a5f0a, 88a01e9c9ad40c075756ba93b47984461d4ff15d, 9193bdc170cc23fe98aca71d1a63c0bf6e1e853b
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0)V3.1.6 and later; V3.1.7 and laterNot stated
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0)V3.1.6 and later; V3.1.7 and laterNot stated
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0)V3.1.6 and later; V3.1.7 and laterNot stated
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AC0)V3.1.6 and later; V3.1.7 and laterNot stated
SiemensSIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6AG1518-4AX00-4AC0)V3.1.6 and later; V3.1.7 and laterNot stated
LinuxLinux Kernelbefore 6.1.129; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.79; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.16; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.13.46.1.129, 6.6.79, 6.12.16, 6.13.4

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 systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.8HighCISA (ADP)

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: ufs: bsg: Set bsg_queue to NULL after removal Currently, this does not cause any issues, but I believe it is necessary to set bsg_queue to NULL after removing it to prevent potential use-after-free (UAF) access.

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.

More Use After Free vulnerabilities (CWE-416)

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 Use After Free vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.