# CVE-2024-56672: blk-cgroup: Fix UAF in blkcg_unpin_online()

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's block cgroup subsystem 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:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-54792, AZL-54920, BELL-CVE-2024-56672, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-56672, GHSA-qgw7-mg2m-3x6f, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-56672, USN-7327-1

## What is CVE-2024-56672?

CVE-2024-56672 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:

blk-cgroup: Fix UAF in blkcg_unpin_online()

blkcg_unpin_online() walks up the blkcg hierarchy putting the online pin. To
walk up, it uses blkcg_parent(blkcg) but it was calling that after
blkcg_destroy_blkgs(blkcg) which could free the blkcg, leading to the
following UAF:

  ==================================================================
  BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in blkcg_unpin_online+0x15a/0x270
  Read of size 8 at addr ffff8881057678c0 by task kworker/9:1/117

  CPU: 9 UID: 0 PID: 117 Comm: kworker/9:1 Not tainted 6.13.0-rc1-work-00182-gb8f52214c61a-dirty #48
  Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS unknown 02/02/2022
  Workqueue: cgwb_release cgwb_release_workfn
  Call Trace:
   <TASK>
   dump_stack_lvl+0x27/0x80
   print_report+0x151/0x710
   kasan_report+0xc0/0x100
   blkcg_unpin_online+0x15a/0x270
   cgwb_release_workfn+0x194/0x480
   process_scheduled_works+0x71b/0xe20
   worker_thread+0x82a/0xbd0
   kthread+0x242/0x2c0
   ret_from_fork+0x33/0x70
   ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
   </TASK>
  ...
  Freed by task 1944:
   kasan_save_track+0x2b/0x70
   kasan_save_free_info+0x3c/0x50
   __kasan_slab_free+0x33/0x50
   kfree+0x10c/0x330
   css_free_rwork_fn+0xe6/0xb30
   process_scheduled_works+0x71b/0xe20
   worker_thread+0x82a/0xbd0
   kthread+0x242/0x2c0
   ret_from_fork+0x33/0x70
   ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30

Note that the UAF is not easy to trigger as the free path is indirected
behind a couple RCU grace periods and a work item execution. I could only
trigger it with artifical msleep() injected in blkcg_unpin_online().

Fix it by reading the parent pointer before destroying the blkcg's blkg's.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-56672?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-56672?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-56672 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-56672 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-2024-56672 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-56672 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-2024-56672 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-2024-56672/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-56672/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-56672
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-56672
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-56672

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-56672/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.