Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2024-44975

Medium · 5.5

CVSS

5.5

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Sep 4, 2024

CISA due date

—

Cloudanix analysis

Monitor only SSVC: Track

A flaw in the Linux kernel's handling of CPU assignments for groups of processes can let a local user crash the entire machine, causing downtime until the system is restarted or updated.

Exploitation
Local Privilege
Attacker needs
Local User
Complexity
Low
Impact
Denial Of Service
Component
OS kernel
Class
Improper Input Validation
Remediation
Upgrade
Effort
Medium
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

The cpuset partition update logic fails to validate that a new CPU mask leaves at least one CPU available for the parent cpuset when tasks are present, causing an invalid pointer dereference inside partition_sched_domains_locked and a kernel page-fault panic.

Why it matters to the business

Unprivileged local users who can write to cgroup files can crash the system, leading to denial of service, loss of availability for all workloads, and the need for manual reboot or recovery on affected Linux kernels.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker creates a new cpuset cgroup, enables cpuset controllers, marks the cgroup as a root partition, then writes a CPU mask that removes every CPU from the root cpuset; the kernel attempts to rebuild scheduling domains without validating the resulting mask, triggering the panic.

How to fix it

Upgrade the Linux kernel to a version containing commit 73d6c6cf8ef6a3c532aa159f5114077746a372d6 or later; rebuild and reboot with the patched kernel. If immediate patching is impossible, restrict untrusted local users from writing to cpuset cgroup files via mount options or policy.

How to confirm the fix worked

After applying the fix, repeat the reproducer commands and confirm the system remains stable with no Oops or panic; verify the running kernel contains the commit hash 73d6c6cf8ef6a3c532aa159f5114077746a372d6 via uname or kernel build logs.

Typical attack path

  1. cd /sys/fs/cgroup && mkdir test && cd test
  2. echo +cpuset > ../cgroup.subtree_control
  3. echo root > cpuset.cpus.partition
  4. echo 0-3 > cpuset.cpus (or any mask that empties the parent)
  5. trigger cpuset_write_resmask -> update_partition_sd_lb -> rebuild_sched_domains_locked

How to detect it

Search kernel logs (dmesg, /var/log/kern.log, journalctl) for the signature 'unable to handle page fault for address' followed by a call trace containing partition_sched_domains_locked and rebuild_sched_domains_locked; also look for the exact sequence of cpuset.cpus writes in auditd or systemd journal entries around the crash time.

  • partition_sched_domains_locked+0x483/0x600
  • rebuild_sched_domains_locked
  • update_partition_sd_lb
  • cpuset_write_resmask
  • BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: 00000003

What your security team should do

  • Prioritize kernel upgrade on all systems exposing cpuset cgroups to untrusted users within the CISA or vendor patch window.
  • Audit systems for the presence of the vulnerable commit and schedule maintenance windows.
  • Apply least-privilege cgroup mount options or seccomp/AppArmor policies to limit cpuset writes until patched.

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cgroup/cpuset: fix panic caused by partcmd_update We find a bug as below: BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: 00000003 PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI CPU: 3 PID: 358 Comm: bash Tainted: G W I 6.6.0-10893-g60d6 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.15.0-1 04/4 RIP: 0010:partition_sched_domains_locked+0x483/0x600 Code: 01 48 85 d2 74 0d 48 83 05 29 3f f8 03 01 f3 48 0f bc c2 89 c0 48 9 RSP: 0018:ffffc90000fdbc58 EFLAGS: 00000202 RAX: 0000000100000003 RBX: ffff888100b3dfa0 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 000000000002fe80 RBP: ffff888100b3dfb0 R08: 0000000000000001 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: ffffc90000fdbcb0 R11: 0000000000000004 R12: 0000000000000002 R13: ffff888100a92b48 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000 FS: 00007f44a5425740(0000) GS:ffff888237d80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000100030973 CR3: 000000010722c000 CR4: 00000000000006e0 Call Trace: <TASK> ? show_regs+0x8c/0xa0 ? __die_body+0x23/0xa0 ? __die+0x3a/0x50 ? page_fault_oops+0x1d2/0x5c0 ? partition_sched_domains_locked+0x483/0x600 ? search_module_extables+0x2a/0xb0 ? search_exception_tables+0x67/0x90 ? kernelmode_fixup_or_oops+0x144/0x1b0 ? __bad_area_nosemaphore+0x211/0x360 ? up_read+0x3b/0x50 ? bad_area_nosemaphore+0x1a/0x30 ? exc_page_fault+0x890/0xd90 ? __lock_acquire.constprop.0+0x24f/0x8d0 ? __lock_acquire.constprop.0+0x24f/0x8d0 ? asm_exc_page_fault+0x26/0x30 ? partition_sched_domains_locked+0x483/0x600 ? partition_sched_domains_locked+0xf0/0x600 rebuild_sched_domains_locked+0x806/0xdc0 update_partition_sd_lb+0x118/0x130 cpuset_write_resmask+0xffc/0x1420 cgroup_file_write+0xb2/0x290 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x194/0x290 new_sync_write+0xeb/0x160 vfs_write+0x16f/0x1d0 ksys_write+0x81/0x180 __x64_sys_write+0x21/0x30 x64_sys_call+0x2f25/0x4630 do_syscall_64+0x44/0xb0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x78/0xe2 RIP: 0033:0x7f44a553c887 It can be reproduced with cammands: cd /sys/fs/cgroup/ mkdir test cd test/ echo +cpuset > ../cgroup.subtree_control echo root > cpuset.cpus.partition cat /sys/fs/cgroup/cpuset.cpus.effective 0-3 echo 0-3 > cpuset.cpus // taking away all cpus from root This issue is caused by the incorrect rebuilding of scheduling domains. In this scenario, test/cpuset.cpus.partition should be an invalid root and should not trigger the rebuilding of scheduling domains. When calling update_parent_effective_cpumask with partcmd_update, if newmask is not null, it should recheck newmask whether there are cpus is available for parect/cs that has tasks.

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed
Debian:13 linux 0 6.10.7-1
Linux Kernel 6.7.0 6.10.7
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux 0 3.11.0-12.19
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.4.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-azure 0 4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial 0 4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux 0 4.4.0-2.16
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.4.0-1001.10
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe 0 4.15.0-1030.31~16.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-azure 0 4.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 4.10.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 4.8.0-39.42~16.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 4.4.0-1004.9
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 4.15.0-1007.9~16.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux 0 4.13.0-16.19
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.15.0-1001.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.4 0 5.4.0-1018.18~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-4.15 0 4.15.0-1082.92
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.4 0 5.4.0-1020.20~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-4.15 0 4.15.0-1071.81
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.4 0 5.4.0-1019.19~18.04.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.4 0 5.4.0-37.41~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 5.0.0-15.16~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.4 0 5.4.0-1010.11~18.04.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 4.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oem 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 4.15.0-1007.9
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.4 0 5.4.0-1019.19~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-raspi-5.4 0 5.4.0-1013.13~18.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux 0 5.4.0-9.12
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws 0 5.4.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.15 0 5.15.0-1014.18~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure 0 5.4.0-1006.6
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.15 0 5.15.0-1007.8~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.15 0 5.15.0-1019.24~20.04.1.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-bluefield 0 5.4.0-1007.10
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 5.4.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.15 0 5.15.0-1006.9~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 5.4.0-1008.9
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.15 0 5.15.0-1003.5~20.04.2
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.15 0 5.15.0-33.34~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.4.0-1003.4
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.15 0 5.15.0-1033.36~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 0 5.15.0-1003.5~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-iot 0 5.4.0-1001.3
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 5.4.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 0 5.15.0-33.34~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.10 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.14 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.6 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 5.4.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.15 0 5.15.0-1007.9~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 5.4.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.15 0 5.15.0-1015.17~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 5.4.0-1020.24
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux 0 5.13.0-19.19
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-allwinner-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws 0 5.13.0-1005.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.8 0 6.8.0-1020.22~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure 0 5.13.0-1006.7
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.8 0 6.8.0-1020.23~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 5.15.0-1019.24.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 5.13.0-1005.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.8 0 6.8.0-1019.21~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gke 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 5.15.0-1001.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-50.51~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 5.15.0-1021.26
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg 0 5.15.0-1004.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 5.13.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 5.15.0-22.22
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-50.51.1~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 5.15.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.5 0 6.5.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 0 6.8.0-1019.21~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-5.17 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.1 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oem-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 5.13.0-1008.10
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.8 0 6.8.0-1017.18~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 5.13.0-1008.9
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.8 0 6.8.0-50.51.1~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-starfive-6.5 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 5.15.0-1022.26
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS:for:NVIDIA:BlueField linux-bluefield 0 5.15.0-1011.13
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux 0 6.8.0-50.51
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-aws 0 6.8.0-1020.22
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure 0 6.8.0-1020.23
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 6.8.0-1019.21
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gke 0 6.8.0-1015.19
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 6.8.0-1002.4
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 6.8.0-1017.17
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 6.8.0-50.51.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 6.8.0-1019.21
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 0 6.8.0-1019.21.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 6.11.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.8 0 6.8.0-1018.18
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 6.8.0-1017.18
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 6.8.0-1016.18
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 6.8.0-50.51.1
Ubuntu:24.10 linux 0 6.11.0-7.7
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-aws 0 6.11.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-azure 0 6.11.0-1003.3
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-gcp 0 6.11.0-1001.1
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-lowlatency 0 6.11.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-oracle 0 6.11.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-raspi 0 6.11.0-1003.3
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-realtime 0 6.11.0-1001.1
Ubuntu:24.10 linux-riscv 0 6.11.0-8.8.1
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-oem 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix

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