# CVE-2010-4210: Race condition in n/a

> Local attackers can trigger a kernel panic or execute arbitrary code by exploiting a mutex unlock error in the pseudofs file system.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Nov 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-78h7-v2wq-qphc

## What is CVE-2010-4210?

CVE-2010-4210 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 20 Nov 2010. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The pfs_getextattr function in FreeBSD 7.x before 7.3-RELEASE and 8.x before 8.0-RC1 unlocks a mutex that was not previously locked, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (kernel panic), overwrite arbitrary memory locations, and possibly execute arbitrary code via vectors related to opening a file on a file system that uses pseudofs.

Weakness: CWE-667 (Improper Locking)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-4210?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freebsd Freebsd.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-4210?

No fix has been published for CVE-2010-4210 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2010-4210 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-4210 exists.

Public exploit code:

- FreeBSD - 'pseudofs' Null Pointer Dereference Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Freebsd Freebsd

- [CVE-2018-17160](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17160/): Memory corruption in FreeBSD (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2014-3954](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3954/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-4304](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-4304/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-0226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-0226/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0002/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-4210 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-4210 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 20 Nov 2010. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-4210 exists.

Affected product: Freebsd Freebsd. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4210/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4210/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-4210
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4210
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-4210

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4210/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.