epoll: be better about file lifetimes
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: epoll: be better about file lifetimes epoll can call out to vfs_poll() with a file pointer that may race with the last 'fput()'. That would make f_count go down to zero, and while the ep->mtx locking means that the resulting file pointer tear-down will be blocked until the poll returns, it means that f_count is already dead, and any use of it won't actually get a reference to the file any more: it's dead regardless. Make sure we have a valid ref on the file pointer before we call down to vfs_poll() from the epoll routines.
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 | 2.6.12 and later | 5.15.161, 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.12 and later Fixed in 5.15.161, 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 7
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 5.15.161; 5.16 to before 6.1.93; 6.2 to before 6.6.33; 6.7 to before 6.8.12 | 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:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 5.15.161; 5.16 to before 6.1.93; 6.2 to before 6.6.33; 6.7 to before 6.8.12 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:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.161, 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2024:4928 Released 2024-07-31 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.3.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-64k-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4 +29
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, libperf-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-427.28.1.el9_4 +9
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:4928 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:4928 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:4928 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:4928 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:4928 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-38580
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-hxvp-53j6-m4qh
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cbfd1088e24ec4c1199756a37cb8e4cd0a4b016e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/559214eb4e5c3d05e69428af2fae2691ba1eb784
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f65f4defe4e23659275ce5153541cd4f76ce2d2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/16e3182f6322575eb7c12e728ad3c7986a189d5d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4efaa5acf0a1d2b5947f98abb3acf8bfd966422b
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2024-38580 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-38580 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-hxvp-53j6-m4qh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-38580 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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