Linux Kernel up to 6.12.4 mm/slub.c dpc_thread use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 5.10.230/5.15.173/6.1.119/6.6.65/6.12.4. Affected by this issue is the function dpc_thread of the file mm/slub.c. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2024-56623. No exploit exists. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.10.230/5.15.173/6.1.119/6.6.65/6.12.4. This affects the function dpc_thread of the file mm/slub.c. 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: scsi: qla2xxx: Fix use after free on unload System crash is observed with stack trace warning of use after free. There are 2 signals to tell dpc_thread to terminate (UNLOADING flag and kthread_stop). On setting the UNLOADING flag when dpc_thread happens to run at the time and sees the flag, this causes dpc_thread to exit and clean up itself. When kthread_stop is called for final cleanup, this causes use after free. Remove UNLOADING signal to terminate dpc_thread. Use the kthread_stop as the main signal to exit dpc_thread. [596663.812935] kernel BUG at mm/slub.c:294! [596663.812950] invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] SMP PTI [596663.812957] CPU: 13 PID: 1475935 Comm: rmmod Kdump: loaded Tainted: G IOE --------- - - 4.18.0-240.el8.x86_64 #1 [596663.812960] Hardware name: HP ProLiant DL380p Gen8, BIOS P70 08/20/2012 [596663.812974] RIP: 0010:__slab_free+0x17d/0x360 ... [596663.813008] Call Trace: [596663.813022] ? __dentry_kill+0x121/0x170 [596663.813030] ? _cond_resched+0x15/0x30 [596663.813034] ? _cond_resched+0x15/0x30 [596663.813039] ? wait_for_completion+0x35/0x190 [596663.813048] ? try_to_wake_up+0x63/0x540 [596663.813055] free_task+0x5a/0x60 [596663.813061] kthread_stop+0xf3/0x100 [596663.813103] qla2x00_remove_one+0x284/0x440 [qla2xxx]

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-56623 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 216460 (SUSE SLES15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:0577-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.10.231, 5.15.174, 6.1.120, 6.6.66 or 6.12.5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 12f04fc8580eafb0510f805749553eb6213f323e/ca36d9d53745d5ec8946ef85006d4da605ea7c54/b3e6f25176f248762a24d25ab8cf8c5e90874f80/15369e774f27ec790f207de87c0b541e3f90b22d/6abf16d3c915b2feb68c1c8b25fcb71b13f98478/07c903db0a2ff84b68efa1a74a4de353ea591eb0 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 (216460) 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

• 5.10.230
• 5.15.173
• 6.1.119
• 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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Entryinfo

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

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