# CVE-2024-35871: riscv: process: Fix kernel gp leakage

> A local attacker can leak kernel global pointer addresses from user mode helper threads via ptrace or perf, bypassing lockdown restrictions.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:** 19 May 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-35871, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-35871, GHSA-wjqf-4c62-v6g5, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-35871

## What is CVE-2024-35871?

CVE-2024-35871 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 19 May 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:

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.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-35871?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-35871?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-35871 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-35871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-35871 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-35871 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 19 May 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-2024-35871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2024-35871/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-35871/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-35871
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-35871
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-35871

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-35871/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
