Linux: Out-of-bounds Write
CVE-2024-56740 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write 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 de5dac261eeab99762bbdf7c20cee5d26ef4462e, 650703bc4ed3edf841e851c99ab8e7ba9e5262a3 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.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to de5dac261eeab99762bbdf7c20cee5d26ef4462e or 650703bc4ed3edf841e851c99ab8e7ba9e5262a3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.2 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 70ba381e1a431245c137ed597ec6a05991c79bd9 up to, but not including, de5dac261eeab99762bbdf7c20cee5d26ef4462e; 70ba381e1a431245c137ed597ec6a05991c79bd9 up to, but not including, 650703bc4ed3edf841e851c99ab8e7ba9e5262a3; 6.12 | de5dac261eeab99762bbdf7c20cee5d26ef4462e, 650703bc4ed3edf841e851c99ab8e7ba9e5262a3 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.12 up to, but not including, 6.12.2 | 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 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: nfs/localio: must clear res.replen in nfs_local_read_done Otherwise memory corruption can occur due to NFSv3 LOCALIO reads leaving garbage in res.replen: - nfs3_read_done() copies that into server->read_hdrsize; from there nfs3_proc_read_setup() copies it to args.replen in new requests. - nfs3_xdr_enc_read3args() passes that to rpc_prepare_reply_pages() which includes it in hdrsize for xdr_init_pages, so that rq_rcv_buf contains a ridiculous len. - This is copied to rq_private_buf and xs_read_stream_request() eventually passes the kvec to sock_recvmsg() which receives incoming data into entirely the wrong place. This is easily reproduced with NFSv3 LOCALIO that is servicing reads when it is made to pivot back to using normal RPC. This switch back to using normal NFSv3 with RPC can occur for a few reasons but this issue was exposed with a test that stops and then restarts the NFSv3 server while LOCALIO is performing heavy read IO.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write
The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
- Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.
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 Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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