# CVE-2024-53216: nfsd: release svc_expkey/svc_export with rcu_work

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NFS daemon allows local 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:** 27 Dec 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-59031, BELL-CVE-2024-53216, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-53216, GHSA-j5g7-ch8c-pw9m, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2024-53216, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2024-53216, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2024-53216, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2024-53216, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-53216

## What is CVE-2024-53216?

CVE-2024-53216 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Dec 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: release svc_expkey/svc_export with rcu_work

The last reference for `cache_head` can be reduced to zero in `c_show`
and `e_show`(using `rcu_read_lock` and `rcu_read_unlock`). Consequently,
`svc_export_put` and `expkey_put` will be invoked, leading to two
issues:

1. The `svc_export_put` will directly free ex_uuid. However,
   `e_show`/`c_show` will access `ex_uuid` after `cache_put`, which can
   trigger a use-after-free issue, shown below.

   ==================================================================
   BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in svc_export_show+0x362/0x430 [nfsd]
   Read of size 1 at addr ff11000010fdc120 by task cat/870

   CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 870 Comm: cat Not tainted 6.12.0-rc3+ #1
   Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS
   1.16.1-2.fc37 04/01/2014
   Call Trace:
    <TASK>
    dump_stack_lvl+0x53/0x70
    print_address_description.constprop.0+0x2c/0x3a0
    print_report+0xb9/0x280
    kasan_report+0xae/0xe0
    svc_export_show+0x362/0x430 [nfsd]
    c_show+0x161/0x390 [sunrpc]
    seq_read_iter+0x589/0x770
    seq_read+0x1e5/0x270
    proc_reg_read+0xe1/0x140
    vfs_read+0x125/0x530
    ksys_read+0xc1/0x160
    do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170
    entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

   Allocated by task 830:
    kasan_save_stack+0x20/0x40
    kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30
    __kasan_kmalloc+0x8f/0xa0
    __kmalloc_node_track_caller_noprof+0x1bc/0x400
    kmemdup_noprof+0x22/0x50
    svc_export_parse+0x8a9/0xb80 [nfsd]
    cache_do_downcall+0x71/0xa0 [sunrpc]
    cache_write_procfs+0x8e/0xd0 [sunrpc]
    proc_reg_write+0xe1/0x140
    vfs_write+0x1a5/0x6d0
    ksys_write+0xc1/0x160
    do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x170
    entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

   Freed by task 868:
    kasan_save_stack+0x20/0x40
    kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30
    kasan_save_free_info+0x3b/0x60
    __kasan_slab_free+0x37/0x50
    kfree+0xf3/0x3e0
    svc_export_put+0x87/0xb0 [nfsd]
    cache_purge+0x17f/0x1f0 [sunrpc]
    nfsd_destroy_serv+0x226/0x2d0 [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

2. We cannot sleep while using `rcu_read_lock`/`rcu_read_unlock`.
   However, `svc_export_put`/`expkey_put` will call path_put, which
   subsequently triggers a sleeping operation due to the following
   `dput`.

   =============================
   WARNING: suspicious RCU usage
   5.10.0-dirty #141 Not tainted
   -----------------------------
   ...
   Call Trace:
   dump_stack+0x9a/0xd0
   ___might_sleep+0x231/0x240
   dput+0x39/0x600
   path_put+0x1b/0x30
   svc_export_put+0x17/0x80
   e_show+0x1c9/0x200
   seq_read_iter+0x63f/0x7c0
   seq_read+0x226/0x2d0
   vfs_read+0x113/0x2c0
   ksys_read+0xc9/0x170
   do_syscall_64+0x33/0x40
   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x67/0xd1

Fix these issues by using `rcu_work` to help release
`svc_expkey`/`svc_export`. This approach allows for an asynchronous
context to invoke `path_put` and also facilitates the freeing of
`uuid/exp/key` after an RCU grace period.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-53216?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-53216?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-53216 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-53216 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-2024-53216 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-53216 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Dec 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-2024-53216 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-2024-53216/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53216/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-53216
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-53216
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-53216

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53216/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
