CVE-2024-42090 pinctrl: fix deadlock in create_pinctrl() when handling -EPROBE_DEFER

What is CVE-2024-42090?

CVE-2024-42090 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, 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:

pinctrl: fix deadlock in create_pinctrl() when handling -EPROBE_DEFER

In create_pinctrl(), pinctrl_maps_mutex is acquired before calling add_setting(). If add_setting() returns -EPROBE_DEFER, create_pinctrl() calls pinctrl_free(). However, pinctrl_free() attempts to acquire pinctrl_maps_mutex, which is already held by create_pinctrl(), leading to a potential deadlock.

This patch resolves the issue by releasing pinctrl_maps_mutex before calling pinctrl_free(), preventing the deadlock.

This bug was discovered and resolved using Coverity Static Analysis Security Testing (SAST) by Synopsys, Inc.

Weakness: CWE-667

Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42090?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2024-42090?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2024-42090 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42090 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as BELL-CVE-2024-42090, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42090, GHSA-pr22-x636-xp32, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42090.