Linux Kernel up to 6.12.3 binder_release_work use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.3. Affected by this vulnerability is the function binder_release_work. The manipulation leads to use after free. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-56554. No exploit exists. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.3. This issue affects the function binder_release_work. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: binder: fix freeze UAF in binder_release_work() When a binder reference is cleaned up, any freeze work queued in the associated process should also be removed. Otherwise, the reference is freed while its ref->freeze.work is still queued in proc->work leading to a use-after-free issue as shown by the following KASAN report: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in binder_release_work+0x398/0x3d0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff31600ee91488 by task kworker/5:1/211 CPU: 5 UID: 0 PID: 211 Comm: kworker/5:1 Not tainted 6.11.0-rc7-00382-gfc6c92196396 #22 Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) Workqueue: events binder_deferred_func Call trace: binder_release_work+0x398/0x3d0 binder_deferred_func+0xb60/0x109c process_one_work+0x51c/0xbd4 worker_thread+0x608/0xee8 Allocated by task 703: __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x130/0x280 binder_thread_write+0xdb4/0x42a0 binder_ioctl+0x18f0/0x25ac __arm64_sys_ioctl+0x124/0x190 invoke_syscall+0x6c/0x254 Freed by task 211: kfree+0xc4/0x230 binder_deferred_func+0xae8/0x109c process_one_work+0x51c/0xbd4 worker_thread+0x608/0xee8 ================================================================== This commit fixes the issue by ensuring any queued freeze work is removed when cleaning up a binder reference.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2024-56554 since 12/27/2024. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 12/23/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 246873 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2024-56554), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch fe39e0ea2d0ba7f508ff453c4c9a44a95ec0de29/7e20434cbca814cb91a0a261ca0106815ef48e5f 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 (246873) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-3762). 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
• Oracle Linux
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Avamar
• Red Hat OpenShift
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM DataPower Gateway
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

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

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