Linux Kernel up to 6.6.65/6.12.4 default_operstate use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.65/6.12.4. This issue affects the function default_operstate. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2024-56635. There is not any exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.65/6.12.4. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function default_operstate. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: avoid potential UAF in default_operstate() syzbot reported an UAF in default_operstate() [1] Issue is a race between device and netns dismantles. After calling __rtnl_unlock() from netdev_run_todo(), we can not assume the netns of each device is still alive. Make sure the device is not in NETREG_UNREGISTERED state, and add an ASSERT_RTNL() before the call to __dev_get_by_index(). We might move this ASSERT_RTNL() in __dev_get_by_index() in the future. [1] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __dev_get_by_index+0x5d/0x110 net/core/dev.c:852 Read of size 8 at addr ffff888043eba1b0 by task syz.0.0/5339 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 5339 Comm: syz.0.0 Not tainted 6.12.0-syzkaller-10296-gaaf20f870da0 #0 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.3-debian-1.16.3-2~bpo12+1 04/01/2014 Call Trace: __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x241/0x360 lib/dump_stack.c:120 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:378 [inline] print_report+0x169/0x550 mm/kasan/report.c:489 kasan_report+0x143/0x180 mm/kasan/report.c:602 __dev_get_by_index+0x5d/0x110 net/core/dev.c:852 default_operstate net/core/link_watch.c:51 [inline] rfc2863_policy+0x224/0x300 net/core/link_watch.c:67 linkwatch_do_dev+0x3e/0x170 net/core/link_watch.c:170 netdev_run_todo+0x461/0x1000 net/core/dev.c:10894 rtnl_unlock net/core/rtnetlink.c:152 [inline] rtnl_net_unlock include/linux/rtnetlink.h:133 [inline] rtnl_dellink+0x760/0x8d0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3520 rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x791/0xcf0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6911 netlink_rcv_skb+0x1e3/0x430 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2541 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1321 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x7f6/0x990 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1347 netlink_sendmsg+0x8e4/0xcb0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1891 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:711 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x221/0x270 net/socket.c:726 ____sys_sendmsg+0x52a/0x7e0 net/socket.c:2583 ___sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2637 [inline] __sys_sendmsg+0x269/0x350 net/socket.c:2669 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7f2a3cb80809 Code: ff ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 0f 1f 40 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 a8 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007f2a3d9cd058 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f2a3cd45fa0 RCX: 00007f2a3cb80809 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000020000000 RDI: 0000000000000008 RBP: 00007f2a3cbf393e R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 00007f2a3cd45fa0 R15: 00007ffd03bc65c8 Allocated by task 5339: kasan_save_stack mm/kasan/common.c:47 [inline] kasan_save_track+0x3f/0x80 mm/kasan/common.c:68 poison_kmalloc_redzone mm/kasan/common.c:377 [inline] __kasan_kmalloc+0x98/0xb0 mm/kasan/common.c:394 kasan_kmalloc include/linux/kasan.h:260 [inline] __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x243/0x390 mm/slub.c:4314 kmalloc_noprof include/linux/slab.h:901 [inline] kmalloc_array_noprof include/linux/slab.h:945 [inline] netdev_create_hash net/core/dev.c:11870 [inline] netdev_init+0x10c/0x250 net/core/dev.c:11890 ops_init+0x31e/0x590 net/core/net_namespace.c:138 setup_net+0x287/0x9e0 net/core/net_namespace.c:362 copy_net_ns+0x33f/0x570 net/core/net_namespace.c:500 create_new_namespaces+0x425/0x7b0 kernel/nsproxy.c:110 unshare_nsproxy_namespaces+0x124/0x180 kernel/nsproxy.c:228 ksys_unshare+0x57d/0xa70 kernel/fork.c:3314 __do_sys_unshare kernel/fork.c:3385 [inline] __se_sys_unshare kernel/fork.c:3383 [inline] __x64_sys_unshare+0x38/0x40 kernel/fork.c:3383 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x8 ---truncated---

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-56635 since 12/27/2024. The exploitability is told 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 01/12/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 214901 (SUSE SLES15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:0289-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.66 or 6.12.5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 3265aab0736f78bb218200b06b1abb525c316269/316183d58319f191e16503bc2dffa156c4442df2/750e51603395e755537da08f745864c93e3ce741 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 (214901) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-3762). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality 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

• 6.6.0
• 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
• 6.6.39
• 6.6.40
• 6.6.41
• 6.6.42
• 6.6.43
• 6.6.44
• 6.6.45
• 6.6.46
• 6.6.47
• 6.6.48
• 6.6.49
• 6.6.50
• 6.6.51
• 6.6.52
• 6.6.53
• 6.6.54
• 6.6.55
• 6.6.56
• 6.6.57
• 6.6.58
• 6.6.59
• 6.6.60
• 6.6.61
• 6.6.62
• 6.6.63
• 6.6.64
• 6.6.65
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

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