ima: Avoid blocking in RCU read-side critical section
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.26% (FIRST EPSS).
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: Linux Linux 28d0ecc52f6c927d0e9ba70a4f2c1ea15453ee88, 5.10.222, 5.15.163.
- Severity is disputed: the assigning authority (CNA) scores it 7.8, NVD 5.5.
- Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 28d0ecc52f6c927d0e9ba70a4f2c1ea15453ee88, 5.10.222, 5.15.163 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ima: Avoid blocking in RCU read-side critical section A panic happens in ima_match_policy: BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0000000000000010 PGD 42f873067 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI CPU: 5 PID: 1286325 Comm: kubeletmonit.sh Kdump: loaded Tainted: P Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 RIP: 0010:ima_match_policy+0x84/0x450 Code: 49 89 fc 41 89 cf 31 ed 89 44 24 14 eb 1c 44 39 7b 18 74 26 41 83 ff 05 74 20 48 8b 1b 48 3b 1d f2 b9 f4 00 0f 84 9c 01 00 00 <44> 85 73 10 74 ea 44 8b 6b 14 41 f6 c5 01 75 d4 41 f6 c5 02 74 0f RSP: 0018:ff71570009e07a80 EFLAGS: 00010207 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000200 RDX: ffffffffad8dc7c0 RSI: 0000000024924925 RDI: ff3e27850dea2000 RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffffffabfce739 R10: ff3e27810cc42400 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ff3e2781825ef970 R13: 00000000ff3e2785 R14: 000000000000000c R15: 0000000000000001 FS: 00007f5195b51740(0000) GS:ff3e278b12d40000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000000000010 CR3: 0000000626d24002 CR4: 0000000000361ee0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: ima_get_action+0x22/0x30 process_measurement+0xb0/0x830 ? page_add_file_rmap+0x15/0x170 ? alloc_set_pte+0x269/0x4c0 ? prep_new_page+0x81/0x140 ? simple_xattr_get+0x75/0xa0 ? selinux_file_open+0x9d/0xf0 ima_file_check+0x64/0x90 path_openat+0x571/0x1720 do_filp_open+0x9b/0x110 ? page_counter_try_charge+0x57/0xc0 ? files_cgroup_alloc_fd+0x38/0x60 ? __alloc_fd+0xd4/0x250 ? do_sys_open+0x1bd/0x250 do_sys_open+0x1bd/0x250 do_syscall_64+0x5d/0x1d0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x65/0xca Commit c7423dbdbc9e ("ima: Handle -ESTALE returned by ima_filter_rule_match()") introduced call to ima_lsm_copy_rule within a RCU read-side critical section which contains kmalloc with GFP_KERNEL. This implies a possible sleep and violates limitations of RCU read-side critical sections on non-PREEMPT systems. Sleeping within RCU read-side critical section might cause synchronize_rcu() returning early and break RCU protection, allowing a UAF to happen. The root cause of this issue could be described as follows: | Thread A | Thread B | | |ima_match_policy | | | rcu_read_lock | |ima_lsm_update_rule | | | synchronize_rcu | | | | kmalloc(GFP_KERNEL)| | | sleep | ==> synchronize_rcu returns early | kfree(entry) | | | | entry = entry->next| ==> UAF happens and entry now becomes NULL (or could be anything). | | entry->action | ==> Accessing entry might cause panic. To fix this issue, we are converting all kmalloc that is called within RCU read-side critical section to use GFP_ATOMIC. [PM: fixed missing comment, long lines, !CONFIG_IMA_LSM_RULES case]
- Published
- Jul 12, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 16th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-476
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 5.5
- CNA · Linux
- 7.8
- 2.3 point gap
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux kernel | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- linux linux kernel5.4.229 and later · before 5.5
- linux linux kernel5.10.163 and later · before 5.10.222
- linux linux kernel5.15.86 and later · before 5.15.163
- linux linux kernel6.0.16 and later · before 6.1
- linux linux kernel6.1.2 and later · before 6.1.98
- linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.6.39
- linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.9.7
- linux linux kernel6.10
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Linux Linux
- 38d48fd224036717fcb3437e7af1314f6ebcd2d0, 69c60b2a2dbb4887739d3a13297cc0dae3793f35, 6.2affected
- c4b035b1f036ddd53fbfced49046e586c5ad8a3e and later · before a6176a802c4bfb83bf7524591aa75f44a639a853affected · git
- 2d4bc60693c4206c64723e94ae5f7a04c0b8f18f and later · before a38e02265c681b51997a264aaf743095e2ee400aaffected · git
- 8008f1691c15f353f5a53dc5d450b8262cb57421 and later · before 9c3906c3738562b1fedc6f1cfc81756a7cfefff0affected · git
- c7423dbdbc9ecef7fff5239d144cad4b9887f4de and later · before 28d0ecc52f6c927d0e9ba70a4f2c1ea15453ee88affected · git
- c7423dbdbc9ecef7fff5239d144cad4b9887f4de and later · before 58275455893066149e9f4df2223ab2fdbdc59f9caffected · git
- c7423dbdbc9ecef7fff5239d144cad4b9887f4de and later · before 9a95c5bfbf02a0a7f5983280fe284a0ff0836c34affected · git
- 5.10.163 and later · before 5.10.222affected · semver
- 5.15.86 and later · before 5.15.163affected · semver
- 6.1.2 and later · before 6.1.98affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:11 | linux | before 5.10.223-1 | 5.10.223-1 |
| Debian:12 | linux | before 6.1.99-1 | 6.1.99-1 |
| Debian:13 | linux | before 6.9.7-1 | 6.9.7-1 |
Same product
linux: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV89Now
- CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV85Now
- CVE-2016-5195Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect haKEV83Now
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2024-40943Jul 12, 2024 · ocfs2: fix races between hole punching and AIO+DIO18Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2024-40944Jul 12, 2024 · x86/kexec: Fix bug with call depth tracking22Monitor
- Later →CVE-2024-40948Jul 12, 2024 · mm/page_table_check: fix crash on ZONE_DEVICE22Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | 28d0ecc52f6c927d0e9ba70a4f2c1ea15453ee88 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 5.10.222 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 5.15.163 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 5.5 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 58275455893066149e9f4df2223ab2fdbdc59f9c | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 6.1 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 6.1.98 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 9a95c5bfbf02a0a7f5983280fe284a0ff0836c34 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 9c3906c3738562b1fedc6f1cfc81756a7cfefff0 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | a38e02265c681b51997a264aaf743095e2ee400a | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | a6176a802c4bfb83bf7524591aa75f44a639a853 | Vendor (CNA) |
| debian:linux | 6.1.99-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-24-0942 · Jul 16, 2024(Linux Kernel Güncellemesi)
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-476 · NULL Pointer DereferenceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (6 more)Show less
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/58275455893066149e9f4df2223ab2fdbdc59f9c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a95c5bfbf02a0a7f5983280fe284a0ff0836c34
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c3906c3738562b1fedc6f1cfc81756a7cfefff0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a38e02265c681b51997a264aaf743095e2ee400a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6176a802c4bfb83bf7524591aa75f44a639a853
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.