CVE-2024-50010 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
exec: don't WARN for racy path_noexec check
Both i_mode and noexec checks wrapped in WARN_ON stem from an artifact of the previous implementation. They used to legitimately check for the condition, but that got moved up in two commits: 633fb6ac3980 ("exec: move S_ISREG() check earlier") 0fd338b2d2cd ("exec: move path_noexec() check earlier")
Instead of being removed said checks are WARN_ON'ed instead, which has some debug value.
However, the spurious path_noexec check is racy, resulting in unwarranted warnings should someone race with setting the noexec flag.
One can note there is more to perm-checking whether execve is allowed and none of the conditions are guaranteed to still hold after they were tested for.
Additionally this does not validate whether the code path did any perm checking to begin with -- it will pass if the inode happens to be regular.
Keep the redundant path_noexec() check even though it's mindless nonsense checking for guarantee that isn't given so drop the WARN.
Reword the commentary and do small tidy ups while here.
[brauner: keep redundant path_noexec() check]
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2024-50010 addresses a race condition in the Linux kernel's executable loading mechanism that occurs during the execve system call processing. This issue stems from redundant code paths that were originally designed to perform permission checks but have since been moved earlier in the execution flow through two previous commits. The current implementation maintains outdated warning mechanisms that trigger unnecessarily due to race conditions, creating false positives in kernel logging systems. The root cause lies in the kernel's exec subsystem where the path_noexec() check was moved upstream but retained as a WARN_ON statement rather than being completely removed, leading to spurious warnings when concurrent processes attempt to modify execution flags.
The technical flaw manifests as a race condition between the path_noexec() check and the actual setting of noexec flags within the kernel's memory management subsystem. When multiple processes attempt to execute files simultaneously, the timing between when the check occurs and when the noexec flag is actually set can result in warnings being generated even when the execution is perfectly valid. This race condition violates fundamental principles of concurrent programming and demonstrates poor synchronization practices within the kernel's permission checking framework. The issue specifically affects the execve system call implementation and relates to the kernel's handling of file execution permissions in multi-threaded environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple logging noise to potentially affect system monitoring and debugging processes that rely on kernel warning messages for security analysis. While the race condition does not compromise system security or allow privilege escalation, it creates misleading diagnostic information that could confuse security analysts and system administrators during incident response activities. The vulnerability affects systems running Linux kernels where the specific commits mentioned have been applied, particularly impacting servers and systems with high concurrent execution loads. The spurious warnings can overwhelm log systems and make it difficult to identify genuine security issues or system problems that require immediate attention.
The recommended mitigation involves removing the redundant path_noexec() check that was retained as a WARN_ON statement, allowing the kernel to proceed with execution without generating false positive warnings. This approach aligns with the principle of avoiding unnecessary code paths that do not provide meaningful security value while maintaining the core functionality of the execve system call. The fix maintains the redundant check as a no-op rather than removing it entirely, which prevents potential regressions while eliminating the race condition. System administrators should update their kernels to versions containing this fix, particularly those running high-concurrency workloads where the race condition is more likely to manifest. The solution demonstrates adherence to the principle of minimal code paths and proper synchronization in kernel development, following established best practices for concurrent system programming and memory management in operating systems.