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

> A deadlock in the Linux kernel pinctrl subsystem can cause a denial of service when handling probe deferral errors.

- **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:** 29 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-42090, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42090, GHSA-pr22-x636-xp32, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42090

## 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 (Improper Locking)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42090?

It affects 1 product.


Products: 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](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-2024-42090 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42090 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-2024-42090/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42090/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42090
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42090
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42090

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42090/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.