Linux Kernel up to 6.12.4 do_page_cache_ra denial of service

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.4 and classified as problematic. This issue affects the function do_page_cache_ra. Such manipulation leads to denial of service. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2024-57839. There is no available exploit. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.4 and classified as problematic. Affected by this issue is the function do_page_cache_ra. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a denial of service vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-404. The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Revert "readahead: properly shorten readahead when falling back to do_page_cache_ra()" This reverts commit 7c877586da3178974a8a94577b6045a48377ff25. Anders and Philippe have reported that recent kernels occasionally hang when used with NFS in readahead code. The problem has been bisected to 7c877586da3 ("readahead: properly shorten readahead when falling back to do_page_cache_ra()"). The cause of the problem is that ra->size can be shrunk by read_pages() call and subsequently we end up calling do_page_cache_ra() with negative (read huge positive) number of pages. Let's revert 7c877586da3 for now until we can find a proper way how the logic in read_pages() and page_cache_ra_order() can coexist. This can lead to reduced readahead throughput due to readahead window confusion but that's better than outright hangs.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2024-57839 since 01/11/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 231871 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2024-57839), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 85351e4941a253e4c50fb7048bfc19b60b4ec44b/a220d6b95b1ae12c7626283d7609f0a1438e6437 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 (231871) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0047). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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
• 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
• 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

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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