CVE-2024-50121 nfsd: cancel nfsd_shrinker_work using sync mode in nfs4_state_shutdown_net

High 7.8 Published Updated

A race condition in the Linux kernel NFS server can cause use-after-free errors, leading to system crashes or potential code execution.

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

What is CVE-2024-50121?

CVE-2024-50121 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 5 Nov 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:

nfsd: cancel nfsd_shrinker_work using sync mode in nfs4_state_shutdown_net

In the normal case, when we excute `echo 0 > /proc/fs/nfsd/threads`, the function `nfs4_state_destroy_net` in `nfs4_state_shutdown_net` will release all resources related to the hashed `nfs4_client`. If the `nfsd_client_shrinker` is running concurrently, the `expire_client` function will first unhash this client and then destroy it. This can lead to the following warning. Additionally, numerous use-after-free errors may occur as well.

nfsd_client_shrinker echo 0 > /proc/fs/nfsd/threads

expire_client nfsd_shutdown_net unhash_client ... nfs4_state_shutdown_net /* won't wait shrinker exit */ /* cancel_work(&nn->nfsd_shrinker_work) * nfsd_file for this /* won't destroy unhashed client1 */ * client1 still alive nfs4_state_destroy_net */

nfsd_file_cache_shutdown /* trigger warning */ kmem_cache_destroy(nfsd_file_slab) kmem_cache_destroy(nfsd_file_mark_slab) /* release nfsd_file and mark */ __destroy_client

==================================================================== BUG nfsd_file (Not tainted): Objects remaining in nfsd_file on __kmem_cache_shutdown() -------------------------------------------------------------------- CPU: 4 UID: 0 PID: 764 Comm: sh Not tainted 6.12.0-rc3+ #1

dump_stack_lvl+0x53/0x70 slab_err+0xb0/0xf0 __kmem_cache_shutdown+0x15c/0x310 kmem_cache_destroy+0x66/0x160 nfsd_file_cache_shutdown+0xac/0x210 [nfsd] nfsd_destroy_serv+0x251/0x2a0 [nfsd] nfsd_svc+0x125/0x1e0 [nfsd] write_threads+0x16a/0x2a0 [nfsd] nfsctl_transaction_write+0x74/0xa0 [nfsd] vfs_write+0x1a5/0x6d0 ksys_write+0xc1/0x160 do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

==================================================================== BUG nfsd_file_mark (Tainted: G B W ): Objects remaining nfsd_file_mark on __kmem_cache_shutdown() --------------------------------------------------------------------

dump_stack_lvl+0x53/0x70 slab_err+0xb0/0xf0 __kmem_cache_shutdown+0x15c/0x310 kmem_cache_destroy+0x66/0x160 nfsd_file_cache_shutdown+0xc8/0x210 [nfsd] nfsd_destroy_serv+0x251/0x2a0 [nfsd] nfsd_svc+0x125/0x1e0 [nfsd] write_threads+0x16a/0x2a0 [nfsd] nfsctl_transaction_write+0x74/0xa0 [nfsd] vfs_write+0x1a5/0x6d0 ksys_write+0xc1/0x160 do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

To resolve this issue, cancel `nfsd_shrinker_work` using synchronous mode in nfs4_state_shutdown_net.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-50121?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2024-50121?

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-2024-50121 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-50121 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as AZL-52467, AZL-52494, BELL-CVE-2024-50121, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-50121, GHSA-wrcm-3w95-9w36, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-50121.

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