Linux Kernel up to 6.12.1 zram comp_algorithm_show null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.1. The affected element is the function comp_algorithm_show of the component zram. Such manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2024-53222. No exploit is available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.1. Affected by this issue is the function comp_algorithm_show of the component zram. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: zram: fix NULL pointer in comp_algorithm_show() LTP reported a NULL pointer dereference as followed: CPU: 7 UID: 0 PID: 5995 Comm: cat Kdump: loaded Not tainted 6.12.0-rc6+ #3 Hardware name: QEMU KVM Virtual Machine, BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 pstate: 40400005 (nZcv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : __pi_strcmp+0x24/0x140 lr : zcomp_available_show+0x60/0x100 [zram] sp : ffff800088b93b90 x29: ffff800088b93b90 x28: 0000000000000001 x27: 0000000000400cc0 x26: 0000000000000ffe x25: ffff80007b3e2388 x24: 0000000000000000 x23: ffff80007b3e2390 x22: ffff0004041a9000 x21: ffff80007b3e2900 x20: 0000000000000000 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000000 x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0000000000000000 x14: 0000000000000000 x13: 0000000000000000 x12: 0000000000000000 x11: 0000000000000000 x10: ffff80007b3e2900 x9 : ffff80007b3cb280 x8 : 0101010101010101 x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 0000000000000000 x5 : 0000000000000040 x4 : 0000000000000000 x3 : 00656c722d6f7a6c x2 : 0000000000000000 x1 : ffff80007b3e2900 x0 : 0000000000000000 Call trace: __pi_strcmp+0x24/0x140 comp_algorithm_show+0x40/0x70 [zram] dev_attr_show+0x28/0x80 sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x90/0x140 kernfs_seq_show+0x34/0x48 seq_read_iter+0x1d4/0x4e8 kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x40/0x58 new_sync_read+0x9c/0x168 vfs_read+0x1a8/0x1f8 ksys_read+0x74/0x108 __arm64_sys_read+0x24/0x38 invoke_syscall+0x50/0x120 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0xc8/0xf0 do_el0_svc+0x24/0x38 el0_svc+0x38/0x138 el0t_64_sync_handler+0xc0/0xc8 el0t_64_sync+0x188/0x190 The zram->comp_algs[ZRAM_PRIMARY_COMP] can be NULL in zram_add() if comp_algorithm_set() has not been called. User can access the zram device by sysfs after device_add_disk(), so there is a time window to trigger the NULL pointer dereference. Move it ahead device_add_disk() to make sure when user can access the zram device, it is ready. comp_algorithm_set() is protected by zram->init_lock in other places and no such problem.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2024-53222 since 11/19/2024. The exploitation is known to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 214250 (SUSE SLES15 / openSUSE 15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:0117-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 843d366ff19708668d95cda16bb8aba109a93dba/f364cdeb38938f9d03061682b8ff3779dd1730e5 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 (214250) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-3762). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• IBM DataPower Gateway
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Avamar
• Red Hat OpenShift
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• Siemens SIMATIC S7

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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