riscv: process: Fix kernel gp leakage
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: riscv: process: Fix kernel gp leakage childregs represents the registers which are active for the new thread in user context. For a kernel thread, childregs->gp is never used since the kernel gp is not touched by switch_to. For a user mode helper, the gp value can be observed in user space after execve or possibly by other means. [From the email thread] The /* Kernel thread */ comment is somewhat inaccurate in that it is also used for user_mode_helper threads, which exec a user process, e.g. /sbin/init or when /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern is a pipe. Such threads do not have PF_KTHREAD set and are valid targets for ptrace etc. even before they exec. childregs is the *user* context during syscall execution and it is observable from userspace in at least five ways: 1. kernel_execve does not currently clear integer registers, so the starting register state for PID 1 and other user processes started by the kernel has sp = user stack, gp = kernel __global_pointer$, all other integer registers zeroed by the memset in the patch comment. This is a bug in its own right, but I'm unwilling to bet that it is the only way to exploit the issue addressed by this patch. 2. ptrace(PTRACE_GETREGSET): you can PTRACE_ATTACH to a user_mode_helper thread before it execs, but ptrace requires SIGSTOP to be delivered which can only happen at user/kernel boundaries. 3. /proc/*/task/*/syscall: this is perfectly happy to read pt_regs for user_mode_helpers before the exec completes, but gp is not one of the registers it returns. 4. PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER: LOCKDOWN_PERF normally prevents access to kernel addresses via PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR, but due to this bug kernel addresses are also exposed via PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER which is permitted under LOCKDOWN_PERF. I have not attempted to write exploit code. 5. Much of the tracing infrastructure allows access to user registers. I have not attempted to determine which forms of tracing allow access to user registers without already allowing access to kernel registers.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.15 and later | 5.10.216, 5.15.154, 6.1.85, 6.6.26, 6.8.5, 6.9 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.15 and later Fixed in 5.10.216, 5.15.154, 6.1.85, 6.6.26, 6.8.5, 6.9 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.15 to before 5.10.216; 5.11 to before 5.15.154; 5.16 to before 6.1.85; 6.2 to before 6.6.26; 6.7 to before 6.8.5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.15 to before 5.10.216; 5.11 to before 5.15.154; 5.16 to before 6.1.85; 6.2 to before 6.6.26; 6.7 to before 6.8.5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.216, 5.15.154, 6.1.85, 6.6.26, 6.8.5, 6.9
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-35871
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wjqf-4c62-v6g5
References
Patch 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9abc3e6f1116adb7a2d4fbb8ce20c37916976bf5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dff6072124f6df77bfd36951fbd88565746980ef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6583444d7e78dae750798552b65a2519ff3ca84
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/00effef72c98294edb1efa87ffa0f6cfb61b36a4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8dcba0691b8e42bddb61aab201e4d918a08e5d9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d14fa1fcf69db9d070e75f1c4425211fa619dfc8
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Sources
- CVE-2024-35871 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-35871 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wjqf-4c62-v6g5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-35871 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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