CVE-2024-35969 ipv6: fix race condition between ipv6_get_ifaddr and ipv6_del_addr

High 8.8 Published 20 May 2024 Updated 15 Oct 2026

A race condition in the Linux kernel IPv6 implementation can lead to a use-after-free, potentially causing a system crash or denial of service.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2024-35969?

CVE-2024-35969 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 20 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:

ipv6: fix race condition between ipv6_get_ifaddr and ipv6_del_addr

Although ipv6_get_ifaddr walks inet6_addr_lst under the RCU lock, it still means hlist_for_each_entry_rcu can return an item that got removed from the list. The memory itself of such item is not freed thanks to RCU but nothing guarantees the actual content of the memory is sane.

In particular, the reference count can be zero. This can happen if ipv6_del_addr is called in parallel. ipv6_del_addr removes the entry from inet6_addr_lst (hlist_del_init_rcu(&ifp->addr_lst)) and drops all references (__in6_ifa_put(ifp) + in6_ifa_put(ifp)). With bad enough timing, this can happen:

1. In ipv6_get_ifaddr, hlist_for_each_entry_rcu returns an entry.

2. Then, the whole ipv6_del_addr is executed for the given entry. The reference count drops to zero and kfree_rcu is scheduled.

3. ipv6_get_ifaddr continues and tries to increments the reference count (in6_ifa_hold).

4. The rcu is unlocked and the entry is freed.

5. The freed entry is returned.

Prevent increasing of the reference count in such case. The name in6_ifa_hold_safe is chosen to mimic the existing fib6_info_hold_safe.

[ 41.506330] refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free. [ 41.506760] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 595 at lib/refcount.c:25 refcount_warn_saturate+0xa5/0x130 [ 41.507413] Modules linked in: veth bridge stp llc [ 41.507821] CPU: 0 PID: 595 Comm: python3 Not tainted 6.9.0-rc2.main-00208-g49563be82afa #14 [ 41.508479] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996) [ 41.509163] RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xa5/0x130 [ 41.509586] Code: ad ff 90 0f 0b 90 90 c3 cc cc cc cc 80 3d c0 30 ad 01 00 75 a0 c6 05 b7 30 ad 01 01 90 48 c7 c7 38 cc 7a 8c e8 cc 18 ad ff 90 <0f> 0b 90 90 c3 cc cc cc cc 80 3d 98 30 ad 01 00 0f 85 75 ff ff ff [ 41.510956] RSP: 0018:ffffbda3c026baf0 EFLAGS: 00010282 [ 41.511368] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff9e9c46914800 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 41.511910] RDX: ffff9e9c7ec29c00 RSI: ffff9e9c7ec1c900 RDI: ffff9e9c7ec1c900 [ 41.512445] RBP: ffff9e9c43660c9c R08: 0000000000009ffb R09: 00000000ffffdfff [ 41.512998] R10: 00000000ffffdfff R11: ffffffff8ca58a40 R12: ffff9e9c4339a000 [ 41.513534] R13: 0000000000000001 R14: ffff9e9c438a0000 R15: ffffbda3c026bb48 [ 41.514086] FS: 00007fbc4cda1740(0000) GS:ffff9e9c7ec00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 41.514726] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 41.515176] CR2: 000056233b337d88 CR3: 000000000376e006 CR4: 0000000000370ef0 [ 41.515713] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [ 41.516252] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 [ 41.516799] Call Trace: [ 41.517037] <TASK> [ 41.517249] ? __warn+0x7b/0x120 [ 41.517535] ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xa5/0x130 [ 41.517923] ? report_bug+0x164/0x190 [ 41.518240] ? handle_bug+0x3d/0x70 [ 41.518541] ? exc_invalid_op+0x17/0x70 [ 41.520972] ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x1a/0x20 [ 41.521325] ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xa5/0x130 [ 41.521708] ipv6_get_ifaddr+0xda/0xe0 [ 41.522035] inet6_rtm_getaddr+0x342/0x3f0 [ 41.522376] ? __pfx_inet6_rtm_getaddr+0x10/0x10 [ 41.522758] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x334/0x3d0 [ 41.523102] ? netlink_unicast+0x30f/0x390 [ 41.523445] ? __pfx_rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x10/0x10 [ 41.523832] netlink_rcv_skb+0x53/0x100 [ 41.524157] netlink_unicast+0x23b/0x390 [ 41.524484] netlink_sendmsg+0x1f2/0x440 [ 41.524826] __sys_sendto+0x1d8/0x1f0 [ 41.525145] __x64_sys_sendto+0x1f/0x30 [ 41.525467] do_syscall_64+0xa5/0x1b0 [ 41.525794] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0x7a [ 41.526213] RIP: 0033:0x7fbc4cfcea9a [ 41.526528] Code: d8 64 89 02 48 c7 c0 ff ff ff ff eb b8 0f 1f 00 f3 0f 1e fa 41 89 ca 64 8b 04 25 18 00 00 00 85 c0 75 15 b8 2c 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 00 f0 ff ff 77 7e c3 0f 1f 44 00 00 41 54 48 83 ec 30 44 89 [ 41.527942] RSP: 002b:00007f ---truncated---

Weakness: CWE-770

Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-35969?

It affects 2 products.

Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2024-35969?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2024-35969 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-35969 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Debian Debian Linux vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as BELL-CVE-2024-35969, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-35969, GHSA-22hg-74mg-cj6f, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-35969.