sched/numa: Fix the potential null pointer dereference in task_numa_work()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched/numa: Fix the potential null pointer dereference in task_numa_work() When running stress-ng-vm-segv test, we found a null pointer dereference error in task_numa_work(). Here is the backtrace: [323676.066985] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000020 ...... [323676.067108] CPU: 35 PID: 2694524 Comm: stress-ng-vm-se ...... [323676.067113] pstate: 23401009 (nzCv daif +PAN -UAO +TCO +DIT +SSBS BTYPE=--) [323676.067115] pc : vma_migratable+0x1c/0xd0 [323676.067122] lr : task_numa_work+0x1ec/0x4e0 [323676.067127] sp : ffff8000ada73d20 [323676.067128] x29: ffff8000ada73d20 x28: 0000000000000000 x27: 000000003e89f010 [323676.067130] x26: 0000000000080000 x25: ffff800081b5c0d8 x24: ffff800081b27000 [323676.067133] x23: 0000000000010000 x22: 0000000104d18cc0 x21: ffff0009f7158000 [323676.067135] x20: 0000000000000000 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: ffff8000ada73db8 [323676.067138] x17: 0001400000000000 x16: ffff800080df40b0 x15: 0000000000000035 [323676.067140] x14: ffff8000ada73cc8 x13: 1fffe0017cc72001 x12: ffff8000ada73cc8 [323676.067142] x11: ffff80008001160c x10: ffff000be639000c x9 : ffff8000800f4ba4 [323676.067145] x8 : ffff000810375000 x7 : ffff8000ada73974 x6 : 0000000000000001 [323676.067147] x5 : 0068000b33e26707 x4 : 0000000000000001 x3 : ffff0009f7158000 [323676.067149] x2 : 0000000000000041 x1 : 0000000000004400 x0 : 0000000000000000 [323676.067152] Call trace: [323676.067153] vma_migratable+0x1c/0xd0 [323676.067155] task_numa_work+0x1ec/0x4e0 [323676.067157] task_work_run+0x78/0xd8 [323676.067161] do_notify_resume+0x1ec/0x290 [323676.067163] el0_svc+0x150/0x160 [323676.067167] el0t_64_sync_handler+0xf8/0x128 [323676.067170] el0t_64_sync+0x17c/0x180 [323676.067173] Code: d2888001 910003fd f9000bf3 aa0003f3 (f9401000) [323676.067177] SMP: stopping secondary CPUs [323676.070184] Starting crashdump kernel... stress-ng-vm-segv in stress-ng is used to stress test the SIGSEGV error handling function of the system, which tries to cause a SIGSEGV error on return from unmapping the whole address space of the child process. Normally this program will not cause kernel crashes. But before the munmap system call returns to user mode, a potential task_numa_work() for numa balancing could be added and executed. In this scenario, since the child process has no vma after munmap, the vma_next() in task_numa_work() will return a null pointer even if the vma iterator restarts from 0. Recheck the vma pointer before dereferencing it in task_numa_work().
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 | 6.3 and later | 6.6.60, 6.11.7, 6.12 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.3 and later Fixed in 6.6.60, 6.11.7, 6.12 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 to before 6.6.60; 6.7 to before 6.11.7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 to before 6.6.60; 6.7 to before 6.11.7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.6.60, 6.11.7, 6.12
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2024:11486 Released 2024-12-19 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, libperf-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.4.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-64k-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5 +30
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-503.19.1.el9_5 +11
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:11486 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:11486 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:11486 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:11486 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:11486 |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-50223
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-x4h3-pqgr-cw5f
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
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-2024-50223 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-50223 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-x4h3-pqgr-cw5f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-50223 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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