# CVE-2024-41096: PCI/MSI: Fix UAF in msi_capability_init

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's PCI MSI initialization allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** 29 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-47555, BELL-CVE-2024-41096, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-41096, GHSA-f5xx-949w-7ch3, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-41096

## What is CVE-2024-41096?

CVE-2024-41096 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 29 Jul 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:

PCI/MSI: Fix UAF in msi_capability_init

KFENCE reports the following UAF:

 BUG: KFENCE: use-after-free read in __pci_enable_msi_range+0x2c0/0x488

 Use-after-free read at 0x0000000024629571 (in kfence-#12):
  __pci_enable_msi_range+0x2c0/0x488
  pci_alloc_irq_vectors_affinity+0xec/0x14c
  pci_alloc_irq_vectors+0x18/0x28

 kfence-#12: 0x0000000008614900-0x00000000e06c228d, size=104, cache=kmalloc-128

 allocated by task 81 on cpu 7 at 10.808142s:
  __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1f0/0x2bc
  kmalloc_trace+0x44/0x138
  msi_alloc_desc+0x3c/0x9c
  msi_domain_insert_msi_desc+0x30/0x78
  msi_setup_msi_desc+0x13c/0x184
  __pci_enable_msi_range+0x258/0x488
  pci_alloc_irq_vectors_affinity+0xec/0x14c
  pci_alloc_irq_vectors+0x18/0x28

 freed by task 81 on cpu 7 at 10.811436s:
  msi_domain_free_descs+0xd4/0x10c
  msi_domain_free_locked.part.0+0xc0/0x1d8
  msi_domain_alloc_irqs_all_locked+0xb4/0xbc
  pci_msi_setup_msi_irqs+0x30/0x4c
  __pci_enable_msi_range+0x2a8/0x488
  pci_alloc_irq_vectors_affinity+0xec/0x14c
  pci_alloc_irq_vectors+0x18/0x28

Descriptor allocation done in:
__pci_enable_msi_range
    msi_capability_init
        msi_setup_msi_desc
            msi_insert_msi_desc
                msi_domain_insert_msi_desc
                    msi_alloc_desc
                        ...

Freed in case of failure in __msi_domain_alloc_locked()
__pci_enable_msi_range
    msi_capability_init
        pci_msi_setup_msi_irqs
            msi_domain_alloc_irqs_all_locked
                msi_domain_alloc_locked
                    __msi_domain_alloc_locked => fails
                    msi_domain_free_locked
                        ...

That failure propagates back to pci_msi_setup_msi_irqs() in
msi_capability_init() which accesses the descriptor for unmasking in the
error exit path.

Cure it by copying the descriptor and using the copy for the error exit path
unmask operation.

[ tglx: Massaged change log ]

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-41096?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-41096?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-41096 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-41096 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-2024-41096 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-41096 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 29 Jul 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-2024-41096 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-2024-41096/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41096/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-41096
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-41096
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-41096

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41096/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.