Linux Kernel up to 6.1.124/6.6.71/6.12.9 exFAT exfat_readdir infinite loop

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.124/6.6.71/6.12.9 and classified as problematic. The impacted element is the function exfat_readdir of the component exFAT. The manipulation leads to infinite loop. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2024-57940. There is no available exploit. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.124/6.6.71/6.12.9. This issue affects the function exfat_readdir of the component exFAT. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a infinite loop vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-835. The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: exfat: fix the infinite loop in exfat_readdir() If the file system is corrupted so that a cluster is linked to itself in the cluster chain, and there is an unused directory entry in the cluster, 'dentry' will not be incremented, causing condition 'dentry < max_dentries' unable to prevent an infinite loop. This infinite loop causes s_lock not to be released, and other tasks will hang, such as exfat_sync_fs(). This commit stops traversing the cluster chain when there is unused directory entry in the cluster to avoid this infinite loop.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2024-57940 since 01/19/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 215144 (Debian dsa-5860 : affs-modules-6.1.0-21-4kc-malta-di - security update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.125, 6.6.72 or 6.12.10 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 31beabd0f47f8c3ed9965ba861c9e5b252d4920a/dc1d7afceb982e8f666e70a582e6b5aa806de063/d9ea94f5cd117d56e573696d0045ab3044185a15/fee873761bd978d077d8c55334b4966ac4cb7b59 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 (215144) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0155). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best 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
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.124
• 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
• 6.6.66
• 6.6.67
• 6.6.68
• 6.6.69
• 6.6.70
• 6.6.71
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

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CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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