CVE-2024-26630·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: cachestat: fix folio read-after-free in cache walk In cachestat, we access the folio from the page cache's xarray to compute its page offset, and check for its dirty and writeback flags. However, we do not hold a reference to the folio before performing these actions, which means the folio can concurrently be released and reused as another folio/page/slab. Get around this altogether by just using xarray's existing machinery for the folio page offsets and dirty/writeback states. This changes behavior for tmpfs files to now always report zeroes in their dirty and writeback counters. This is okay as tmpfs doesn't follow conventional writeback cache behavior: its pages get "cleaned" during swapout, after which they're no longer resident etc.
- Severity
- high
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 6.7.9
- Published
- 2024-03-13
Affected versions
From: 6.7
Until: 6.7.9
Fixed in: 6.7.9
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 6.7.9 or later to patch the memory safety issue in the cachestat subsystem. This vulnerability allows local attackers to trigger a use-after-free condition when the kernel accesses folio metadata without holding a proper reference, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial of service. Apply the kernel update immediately across all affected systems running kernel versions 6.7 through 6.7.8.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-develDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Run 'uname -r' to check your current kernel version; compare against the vulnerable range 6.7.0-6.7.8
- Execute 'cat /boot/config-$(uname -r) | grep CONFIG_CACHESTAT' to confirm cachestat is compiled into your kernel
- Search system logs with 'dmesg | grep -i 'use-after-free\|folio\|cachestat' to identify any memory corruption incidents
- Verify the fix by upgrading to kernel 6.7.9+ and confirming with 'uname -r' that the new version is running after reboot
FAQ
What is CVE-2024-26630?
This vulnerability is a use-after-free flaw in the Linux kernel's cachestat mechanism where folio objects are accessed without holding a reference count, allowing concurrent memory reuse and potential information disclosure or kernel crashes.
Is CVE-2024-26630 being actively exploited?
No, this vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and has no public exploits available, though it remains a local privilege escalation risk for authenticated users.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2024-26630?
Linux kernel versions 6.7.0 through 6.7.8 are vulnerable; version 6.7.9 and later include the fix.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-26630?
Run 'uname -r' and check if the output is between 6.7.0 and 6.7.8; if so, your system is vulnerable and requires a kernel update.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-26630?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Linux kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-26630 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a75cb05d53f4a6823a32deb078de1366954a804
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba60fdf75e89ea762bb617be578dc47f27655117
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe7e008e0ce728252e4ec652cceebcc62211657c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a75cb05d53f4a6823a32deb078de1366954a804
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba60fdf75e89ea762bb617be578dc47f27655117
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