# CVE-2024-26757: md: Don't ignore read-only array in md_check_recovery()

> A flaw in the Linux kernel's md subsystem can cause a system hang when stopping a read-only array, leading to denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Apr 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-59480, AZL-59487, BELL-CVE-2024-26757, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-26757, GHSA-v63c-pgjm-vxv9, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2024-26757, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2024-26757, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2024-26757, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-26757

## What is CVE-2024-26757?

CVE-2024-26757 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Apr 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

md: Don't ignore read-only array in md_check_recovery()

Usually if the array is not read-write, md_check_recovery() won't
register new sync_thread in the first place. And if the array is
read-write and sync_thread is registered, md_set_readonly() will
unregister sync_thread before setting the array read-only. md/raid
follow this behavior hence there is no problem.

After commit f52f5c71f3d4 ("md: fix stopping sync thread"), following
hang can be triggered by test shell/integrity-caching.sh:

1) array is read-only. dm-raid update super block:
rs_update_sbs
 ro = mddev->ro
 mddev->ro = 0
  -> set array read-write
 md_update_sb

2) register new sync thread concurrently.

3) dm-raid set array back to read-only:
rs_update_sbs
 mddev->ro = ro

4) stop the array:
raid_dtr
 md_stop
  stop_sync_thread
    set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
    md_wakeup_thread_directly(mddev->sync_thread);
    wait_event(..., !test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery))

5) sync thread done:
 md_do_sync
 set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_DONE, &mddev->recovery);
 md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);

6) daemon thread can't unregister sync thread:
 md_check_recovery
  if (!md_is_rdwr(mddev) &&
      !test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_NEEDED, &mddev->recovery))
   return;
  -> -> MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING can't be cleared, hence step 4 hang;

The root cause is that dm-raid manipulate 'mddev->ro' by itself,
however, dm-raid really should stop sync thread before setting the
array read-only. Unfortunately, I need to read more code before I
can refacter the handler of 'mddev->ro' in dm-raid, hence let's fix
the problem the easy way for now to prevent dm-raid regression.

Weakness: CWE-404 (Improper Resource Shutdown or Release)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-26757?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-26757?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-26757 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26757 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-26757 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-26757 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Apr 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26757 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2024-26757/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26757/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-26757
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26757
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-26757

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26757/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.