Linux: Double Free
CVE-2024-57980 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 d6e5ba2516c5bef87c1fcb8189b6f3cad7c64b2d, 87522ef165e5b6de8ef98cc318f3335166a1512c, 3ba8884a56a3eb97c22f0ce0e4dd410d4ca4c277 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 0.27% 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 d6e5ba2516c5bef87c1fcb8189b6f3cad7c64b2d or 87522ef165e5b6de8ef98cc318f3335166a1512c or 3ba8884a56a3eb97c22f0ce0e4dd410d4ca4c277 or 9232719ac9ce4d5c213cebda23d72aec3e1c4c0d, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.129 or 6.6.76 or 6.12.13 or 6.13.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, d6e5ba2516c5bef87c1fcb8189b6f3cad7c64b2d; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, 87522ef165e5b6de8ef98cc318f3335166a1512c; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, 3ba8884a56a3eb97c22f0ce0e4dd410d4ca4c277; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, 9232719ac9ce4d5c213cebda23d72aec3e1c4c0d; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, 6c36dcd662ec5276782838660f8533a7cb26be49; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, d1f8e69eec91d5a75ef079778a5d0151db2a7f22; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, d8e63dd7b6683969d3d47c7b8e9635f96d554ad4; a31a4055473bf0a7b2b06cb2262347200d0711e1 up to, but not including, c6ef3a7fa97ec823a1e1af9085cf13db9f7b3bac; and 1 more ranges | d6e5ba2516c5bef87c1fcb8189b6f3cad7c64b2d, 87522ef165e5b6de8ef98cc318f3335166a1512c, 3ba8884a56a3eb97c22f0ce0e4dd410d4ca4c277, 9232719ac9ce4d5c213cebda23d72aec3e1c4c0d, 6c36dcd662ec5276782838660f8533a7cb26be49, d1f8e69eec91d5a75ef079778a5d0151db2a7f22 |
| Siemens | SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystem | all versions | Not stated |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 2.6.28 up to, but not including, 6.1.129; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.76; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.13; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.13.2 | 6.1.129, 6.6.76, 6.12.13, 6.13.2 |
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.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: uvcvideo: Fix double free in error path If the uvc_status_init() function fails to allocate the int_urb, it will free the dev->status pointer but doesn't reset the pointer to NULL. This results in the kfree() call in uvc_status_cleanup() trying to double-free the memory. Fix it by resetting the dev->status pointer to NULL after freeing it. Reviewed by: Ricardo Ribalda <[email protected]>
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.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6c36dcd662ec5276782838660f8533a7cb26be49
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9232719ac9ce4d5c213cebda23d72aec3e1c4c0d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c6ef3a7fa97ec823a1e1af9085cf13db9f7b3bac
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1f8e69eec91d5a75ef079778a5d0151db2a7f22
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8e63dd7b6683969d3d47c7b8e9635f96d554ad4
Other references
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3ba8884a56a3eb97c22f0ce0e4dd410d4ca4c277
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/87522ef165e5b6de8ef98cc318f3335166a1512c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d6e5ba2516c5bef87c1fcb8189b6f3cad7c64b2d
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00028.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-784472.html
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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