Linux Kernel up to 6.9.8 writeback wb_dirty_limits divide by zero

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5.1	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.9.8. This affects the function wb_dirty_limits of the component writeback. Performing a manipulation results in divide by zero. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2024-42102. No exploit exists. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.9.8. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function wb_dirty_limits of the component writeback. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a divide by zero vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-369. The product divides a value by zero. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Revert "mm/writeback: fix possible divide-by-zero in wb_dirty_limits(), again" Patch series "mm: Avoid possible overflows in dirty throttling". Dirty throttling logic assumes dirty limits in page units fit into 32-bits. This patch series makes sure this is true (see patch 2/2 for more details). This patch (of 2): This reverts commit 9319b647902cbd5cc884ac08a8a6d54ce111fc78. The commit is broken in several ways. Firstly, the removed (u64) cast from the multiplication will introduce a multiplication overflow on 32-bit archs if wb_thresh * bg_thresh >= 1<<32 (which is actually common - the default settings with 4GB of RAM will trigger this). Secondly, the div64_u64() is unnecessarily expensive on 32-bit archs. We have div64_ul() in case we want to be safe & cheap. Thirdly, if dirty thresholds are larger than 1<<32 pages, then dirty balancing is going to blow up in many other spectacular ways anyway so trying to fix one possible overflow is just moot.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-42102 since 07/29/2024. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 207802 (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7003-4)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.19.318, 5.4.280, 5.10.222, 5.15.163, 6.1.98, 6.6.39 or 6.9.9 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 253f9ea7e8e5/23a28f5f3f6c/145faa3d0368/2820005edae1/cbbe17a32443/f6620df12cb6/000099d71648/30139c702048 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (207802) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-1722). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• IBM InfoSphere Guardium
• Oracle Linux
• NetApp FAS
• NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
• Siemens SIMATIC S7
• Oracle VM
• IBM Security Guardium
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Broadcom Brocade SANnav
• Dell PowerScale
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell integrated Dell Remote Access Controller
• IBM Storage Scale
• IBM Spectrum Protect Plus
• Juniper Junos Space
• IBM Storage Scale System
• SolarWinds Security Event Manager

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 4.19.317
• 5.4.279
• 5.10.221
• 5.15.162
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.1.29
• 6.1.30
• 6.1.31
• 6.1.32
• 6.1.33
• 6.1.34
• 6.1.35
• 6.1.36
• 6.1.37
• 6.1.38
• 6.1.39
• 6.1.40
• 6.1.41
• 6.1.42
• 6.1.43
• 6.1.44
• 6.1.45
• 6.1.46
• 6.1.47
• 6.1.48
• 6.1.49
• 6.1.50
• 6.1.51
• 6.1.52
• 6.1.53
• 6.1.54
• 6.1.55
• 6.1.56
• 6.1.57
• 6.1.58
• 6.1.59
• 6.1.60
• 6.1.61
• 6.1.62
• 6.1.63
• 6.1.64
• 6.1.65
• 6.1.66
• 6.1.67
• 6.1.68
• 6.1.69
• 6.1.70
• 6.1.71
• 6.1.72
• 6.1.73
• 6.1.74
• 6.1.75
• 6.1.76
• 6.1.77
• 6.1.78
• 6.1.79
• 6.1.80
• 6.1.81
• 6.1.82
• 6.1.83
• 6.1.84
• 6.1.85
• 6.1.86
• 6.1.87
• 6.1.88
• 6.1.89
• 6.1.90
• 6.1.91
• 6.1.92
• 6.1.93
• 6.1.94
• 6.1.95
• 6.1.96
• 6.1.97
• 6.6.0
• 6.6.1
• 6.6.2
• 6.6.3
• 6.6.4
• 6.6.5
• 6.6.6
• 6.6.7
• 6.6.8
• 6.6.9
• 6.6.10
• 6.6.11
• 6.6.12
• 6.6.13
• 6.6.14
• 6.6.15
• 6.6.16
• 6.6.17
• 6.6.18
• 6.6.19
• 6.6.20
• 6.6.21
• 6.6.22
• 6.6.23
• 6.6.24
• 6.6.25
• 6.6.26
• 6.6.27
• 6.6.28
• 6.6.29
• 6.6.30
• 6.6.31
• 6.6.32
• 6.6.33
• 6.6.34
• 6.6.35
• 6.6.36
• 6.6.37
• 6.6.38
• 6.9.0
• 6.9.1
• 6.9.2
• 6.9.3
• 6.9.4
• 6.9.5
• 6.9.6
• 6.9.7
• 6.9.8

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CPE 2.2info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.2
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.1

VulDB Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Temp Score: 5.5
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 4.7
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Divide by zero
CWE: CWE-369 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 207802
Nessus Name: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7003-4)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Kernel 4.19.318/5.4.280/5.10.222/5.15.163/6.1.98/6.6.39/6.9.9
Patch: 253f9ea7e8e5/23a28f5f3f6c/145faa3d0368/2820005edae1/cbbe17a32443/f6620df12cb6/000099d71648/30139c702048

Timelineinfo

07/29/2024 🔍
07/30/2024 +1 days 🔍
07/30/2024 +0 days 🔍
07/19/2025 +354 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2024-42102 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2024-42102
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-272967
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2024-1722 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen erm&ouml;glichen nicht spezifizierten Angriff

Entryinfo

Created: 07/30/2024 10:15
Updated: 07/19/2025 19:31
Changes: 07/30/2024 10:15 (59), 08/22/2024 00:50 (12), 09/20/2024 01:06 (4), 09/27/2024 20:27 (2), 07/16/2025 00:13 (7), 07/19/2025 19:31 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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