CVE-2024-41050·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cachefiles: cyclic allocation of msg_id to avoid reuse Reusing the msg_id after a maliciously completed reopen request may cause a read request to remain unprocessed and result in a hung, as shown below: t1 | t2 | t3 ------------------------------------------------- cachefiles_ondemand_select_req cachefiles_ondemand_object_is_close(A) cachefiles_ondemand_set_object_reopening(A) queue_work(fscache_object_wq, &info->work) ondemand_object_worker cachefiles_ondemand_init_object(A) cachefiles_ondemand_send_req(OPEN) // get msg_id 6 wait_for_completion(&req_A->done) cachefiles_ondemand_daemon_read // read msg_id 6 req_A cachefiles_ondemand_get_fd copy_to_user // Malicious completion msg_id 6 copen 6,-1 cachefiles_ondemand_copen complete(&req_A->done) // will not set the object to close // because ondemand_id && fd is valid. // ondemand_object_worker() is done // but the object is still reopening. // new open req_B cachefiles_ondemand_init_object(B) cachefiles_ondemand_send_req(OPEN) // reuse msg_id 6 process_open_req copen 6,A.size // The expected failed copen was executed successfully Expect copen to fail, and when it does, it closes fd, which sets the object to close, and then close triggers reopen again. However, due to msg_id reuse resulting in a successful copen, the anonymous fd is not closed until the daemon exits. Therefore read requests waiting for reopen to complete may trigger hung task. To avoid this issue, allocate the msg_id cyclically to avoid reusing the msg_id for a very short duration of time.
- Severity
- high
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 6.9.10
- Published
- 2024-07-29
Affected versions
From: 6.7
Until: 6.9.10
Fixed in: 6.9.10
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 6.9.10 or later to resolve a message ID reuse vulnerability in the cachefiles subsystem that can cause read requests to hang indefinitely. This issue affects kernel versions 6.7 through 6.9.9 and is remediated by implementing cyclic allocation of message identifiers to prevent collision. Apply the kernel update immediately followed by a system reboot to activate the patched version.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel && sudo rebootDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check kernel version: uname -r and verify it is 6.9.10 or later; affected versions show 6.7.x through 6.9.9
- Confirm cachefiles module is loaded: lsmod | grep cachefiles; if present, the component is active and vulnerable
- Search system logs for hung task messages: grep -i 'hung task' /var/log/kern.log or journalctl -u kernel | grep -i 'hung' to identify potential exploitation attempts
- After patching, verify the new kernel is running: uname -r should display 6.9.10 or higher; confirm with cat /proc/version to match build date post-update
FAQ
What is CVE-2024-41050?
CVE-2024-41050 is a Linux kernel vulnerability in the cachefiles on-demand subsystem where message identifiers can be reused prematurely, causing maliciously crafted completion messages to interfere with legitimate I/O requests. This can result in hung tasks when a read request waits indefinitely for an object reopening that never completes due to message ID collision.
Is CVE-2024-41050 being actively exploited?
CVE-2024-41050 is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and no public exploits are currently available. However, it requires local system access and intentional malicious daemon interaction to trigger, so the risk depends on your environment's threat model.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2024-41050?
Linux kernel versions 6.7.0 through 6.9.9 are vulnerable; kernel 6.9.10 and later versions contain the fix implementing cyclic message ID allocation.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-41050?
Run `uname -r` to display your kernel version; if the output is between 6.7 and 6.9.9, your system is vulnerable. Additionally, check if cachefiles is loaded with `lsmod | grep cachefiles` to confirm exposure of the affected subsystem.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-41050?
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-2024-41050 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19f4f399091478c95947f6bd7ad61622300c30d9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/35710c6c4a1c64478ec1b5e0e81d386c0844dec6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9d3bf4e9aa23f0d9e99ebe7a94f232ddba54ee17
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/de045a82e1a4e04be62718d3c2981a55150765a0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19f4f399091478c95947f6bd7ad61622300c30d9
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