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

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

- **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:** 5 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-52467, AZL-52494, BELL-CVE-2024-50121, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-50121, GHSA-wrcm-3w95-9w36, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-50121

## 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 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-50121?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-50121?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-50121 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-50121 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-2024-50121 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-50121 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-2024-50121/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50121/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-50121
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-50121
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-50121

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50121/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.