Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2024-53222

Medium · 5.5

CVSS

5.5

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Dec 27, 2024

CISA due date

—

Cloudanix analysis

Schedule a fix SSVC: Track

A Linux kernel bug can let a local user crash the whole system by reading a setting on a compressed-memory device before it is fully ready.

Exploitation
Local Privilege
Attacker needs
Local User
Complexity
Moderate
Impact
Denial Of Service
Component
OS kernel
Class
Memory Corruption
Remediation
Patch
Effort
Medium
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

NULL pointer dereference in zram->comp_algs[ZRAM_PRIMARY_COMP] inside comp_algorithm_show() when the attribute is read via sysfs before comp_algorithm_set() has initialized the primary compressor.

Why it matters to the business

Local denial-of-service via kernel crash or panic on systems that expose zram devices through sysfs, disrupting workloads that rely on compressed RAM swap or block devices.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access reads the comp_algorithm sysfs attribute on a freshly created zram device in the window after device_add_disk() but before the compressor is set, triggering strcmp on a NULL pointer and causing an oops or panic.

How to fix it

Apply the upstream fix in commit c7ee791e538537b281f60945298796f0a3971bbd or later stable kernels that move comp_algorithm_set() ahead of device_add_disk(). Rebuild and reboot with the patched kernel.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the presence of commit c7ee791e538537b281f60945298796f0a3971bbd in the running kernel tree; attempt to create a zram device and read comp_algorithm immediately after add_disk to confirm no dereference occurs.

Typical attack path

  1. Create a zram device via zram_add() without immediately calling comp_algorithm_set()
  2. Access the device through /sys/block/zramX/comp_algorithm before initialization completes
  3. Trigger the NULL dereference in comp_algorithm_show() leading to kernel crash

How to detect it

Inspect kernel logs for oops traces containing comp_algorithm_show, zcomp_available_show, or zram NULL pointer dereference; correlate with processes accessing zram sysfs entries shortly after device creation.

  • __pi_strcmp+0x24/0x140
  • comp_algorithm_show+0x40/0x70 [zram]
  • zcomp_available_show+0x60/0x100 [zram]

What your security team should do

  • Patch all affected kernels to the fixed commit as soon as possible
  • Restrict unprivileged local access to zram sysfs attributes until patched
  • Monitor for zram-related kernel oops in production workloads

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: zram: fix NULL pointer in comp_algorithm_show() LTP reported a NULL pointer dereference as followed: CPU: 7 UID: 0 PID: 5995 Comm: cat Kdump: loaded Not tainted 6.12.0-rc6+ #3 Hardware name: QEMU KVM Virtual Machine, BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 pstate: 40400005 (nZcv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : __pi_strcmp+0x24/0x140 lr : zcomp_available_show+0x60/0x100 [zram] sp : ffff800088b93b90 x29: ffff800088b93b90 x28: 0000000000000001 x27: 0000000000400cc0 x26: 0000000000000ffe x25: ffff80007b3e2388 x24: 0000000000000000 x23: ffff80007b3e2390 x22: ffff0004041a9000 x21: ffff80007b3e2900 x20: 0000000000000000 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 0000000000000000 x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0000000000000000 x14: 0000000000000000 x13: 0000000000000000 x12: 0000000000000000 x11: 0000000000000000 x10: ffff80007b3e2900 x9 : ffff80007b3cb280 x8 : 0101010101010101 x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 0000000000000000 x5 : 0000000000000040 x4 : 0000000000000000 x3 : 00656c722d6f7a6c x2 : 0000000000000000 x1 : ffff80007b3e2900 x0 : 0000000000000000 Call trace: __pi_strcmp+0x24/0x140 comp_algorithm_show+0x40/0x70 [zram] dev_attr_show+0x28/0x80 sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x90/0x140 kernfs_seq_show+0x34/0x48 seq_read_iter+0x1d4/0x4e8 kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x40/0x58 new_sync_read+0x9c/0x168 vfs_read+0x1a8/0x1f8 ksys_read+0x74/0x108 __arm64_sys_read+0x24/0x38 invoke_syscall+0x50/0x120 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0xc8/0xf0 do_el0_svc+0x24/0x38 el0_svc+0x38/0x138 el0t_64_sync_handler+0xc0/0xc8 el0t_64_sync+0x188/0x190 The zram->comp_algs[ZRAM_PRIMARY_COMP] can be NULL in zram_add() if comp_algorithm_set() has not been called. User can access the zram device by sysfs after device_add_disk(), so there is a time window to trigger the NULL pointer dereference. Move it ahead device_add_disk() to make sure when user can access the zram device, it is ready. comp_algorithm_set() is protected by zram->init_lock in other places and no such problem.

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed
AlmaLinux:10 kernel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-debug-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-devel-matched 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-64k-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-abi-stablelists 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-cross-headers 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-devel-matched 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-debug-uki-virt 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-devel-matched 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-doc 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-headers 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-modules-extra-matched 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-debug 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-debug-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-debug-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-debug-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-debug-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-debug-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-64k-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-debug 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-debug-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-debug-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-debug-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-debug-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-debug-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-rt-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-tools 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-tools-libs 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-tools-libs-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-uki-virt 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-uki-virt-addons 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump-devel 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump-devel-matched 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump-modules 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump-modules-core 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 kernel-zfcpdump-modules-extra 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 libperf 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 perf 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 python3-perf 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 rtla 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
AlmaLinux:10 rv 0 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
Debian:13 linux 0 6.12.3-1
Linux Kernel 6.2.0 6.6.84
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP6 kernel-default 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 kernel-default 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6-RT_Update_7 0 1-150600.1.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_7 0 1-150600.13.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-64kb 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-default 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-default-base 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1.150600.12.14.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-source 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-zfcpdump 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 kernel-coco 0 6.4.0-15061.12.coco15sp6.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 kernel-coco_debug 0 6.4.0-15061.12.coco15sp6.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 kernel-source-coco 0 6.4.0-15061.12.coco15sp6.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 kernel-syms-coco 0 6.4.0-15061.12.coco15sp6.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 kernel-docs 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 kernel-obs-build 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 kernel-source 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 kernel-syms 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Legacy 15 SP6 kernel-default 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP6 kernel-azure 0 6.4.0-150600.8.23.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP6 kernel-source-azure 0 6.4.0-150600.8.23.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP6 kernel-syms-azure 0 6.4.0-150600.8.23.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 kernel-default 0 6.4.0-150600.23.33.1
SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 kernel-rt 0 6.4.0-150600.10.23.1
SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 kernel-rt_debug 0 6.4.0-150600.10.23.1
SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 kernel-source-rt 0 6.4.0-150600.10.23.1
SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 kernel-syms-rt 0 6.4.0-150600.10.23.1
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 No fix
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 No fix
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 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.15 0 No fix
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

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