Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2024-56772

High · 7.8

CVSS

7.8

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Jan 8, 2025

CISA due date

—

Cloudanix analysis

Schedule a fix SSVC: Track

A memory-handling mistake in the kernel's built-in testing code can let a carefully timed failure during test setup cause the system to crash or allow malicious code to run.

Exploitation
Local Privilege
Attacker needs
Local User
Complexity
Moderate
Impact
Full Compromise
Component
OS kernel
Class
Use After Free
Remediation
Patch
Effort
Low
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

Use-after-free in kunit string-stream handling: failure to null the suite log pointer after freeing an allocated stream on alloc failure in kunit_debugfs_create_suite leaves a dangling reference that kunit_init_suite later dereferences via string_stream_clear.

Why it matters to the business

Kernel oops or panic during module initialization or test execution can destabilize systems that incorporate kunit, potentially leading to denial of service in development, CI, or embedded environments; the listed chromium package fixes are unrelated to the kernel root cause.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker loads a kernel module or triggers kunit test initialization that exercises kunit_debugfs_create_suite; when alloc_string_stream fails inside the per-test-case loop the error path frees memory without clearing the pointer, so a subsequent string_stream_clear call in kunit_init_suite performs an invalid access, resulting in a paging fault and potential escalation if the freed memory is reallocated with attacker-controlled data.

How to fix it

Apply the upstream fix that sets the stream pointer to NULL after freeing it; for the listed chromium-browser packages on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS upgrade to version 53.0.2785.143-0ubuntu0.14.04.1.1142 or later; disable kunit debugfs or testing modules where feasible until patched kernels are deployed.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the patch is present by inspecting the kunit string-stream code for the NULL assignment after kfree on the error path; reproduce the failure scenario and verify absence of the paging-request oops; check kernel version and module load behavior under forced allocation failure.

Typical attack path

  1. Trigger kunit test suite initialization (e.g., via finit_module or kunit_exec_run_tests)
  2. Force alloc_string_stream failure inside kunit_suite_for_each_test_case loop
  3. Observe suite->log pointer retained after free
  4. Invoke kunit_init_suite which calls string_stream_clear on the dangling pointer
  5. Trigger use-after-free dereference leading to kernel crash or memory corruption

How to detect it

Search kernel logs and ftrace for the exact oops signature 'Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address' followed by string_stream_clear in the call trace; inspect module load paths that invoke __kunit_test_suites_init or kunit_module_notify; look for tainted kernels with kunit test modules.

  • string_stream_clear+0x54/0x1ac
  • kunit_init_suite
  • kunit_debugfs_create_suite
  • alloc_string_stream
  • Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address

What your security team should do

  • Prioritize kernel updates containing the NULL-after-free change for any systems running kunit-enabled builds
  • Monitor for oops traces containing string_stream_clear during module load or test execution
  • Restrict unprivileged module loading and kunit test execution until remediation is complete
  • Review downstream package updates even if chromium-browser references appear incidental to the kernel flaw

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kunit: string-stream: Fix a UAF bug in kunit_init_suite() In kunit_debugfs_create_suite(), if alloc_string_stream() fails in the kunit_suite_for_each_test_case() loop, the "suite->log = stream" has assigned before, and the error path only free the suite->log's stream memory but not set it to NULL, so the later string_stream_clear() of suite->log in kunit_init_suite() will cause below UAF bug. Set stream pointer to NULL after free to fix it. Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address 006440150000030d Mem abort info: ESR = 0x0000000096000004 EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits SET = 0, FnV = 0 EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 FSC = 0x04: level 0 translation fault Data abort info: ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000004, ISS2 = 0x00000000 CM = 0, WnR = 0, TnD = 0, TagAccess = 0 GCS = 0, Overlay = 0, DirtyBit = 0, Xs = 0 [006440150000030d] address between user and kernel address ranges Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] PREEMPT SMP Dumping ftrace buffer: (ftrace buffer empty) Modules linked in: iio_test_gts industrialio_gts_helper cfg80211 rfkill ipv6 [last unloaded: iio_test_gts] CPU: 5 UID: 0 PID: 6253 Comm: modprobe Tainted: G B W N 6.12.0-rc4+ #458 Tainted: [B]=BAD_PAGE, [W]=WARN, [N]=TEST Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) pstate: 40000005 (nZcv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : string_stream_clear+0x54/0x1ac lr : string_stream_clear+0x1a8/0x1ac sp : ffffffc080b47410 x29: ffffffc080b47410 x28: 006440550000030d x27: ffffff80c96b5e98 x26: ffffff80c96b5e80 x25: ffffffe461b3f6c0 x24: 0000000000000003 x23: ffffff80c96b5e88 x22: 1ffffff019cdf4fc x21: dfffffc000000000 x20: ffffff80ce6fa7e0 x19: 032202a80000186d x18: 0000000000001840 x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: ffffffe45c355cb4 x14: ffffffe45c35589c x13: ffffffe45c03da78 x12: ffffffb810168e75 x11: 1ffffff810168e74 x10: ffffffb810168e74 x9 : dfffffc000000000 x8 : 0000000000000004 x7 : 0000000000000003 x6 : 0000000000000001 x5 : ffffffc080b473a0 x4 : 0000000000000000 x3 : 0000000000000000 x2 : 0000000000000001 x1 : ffffffe462fbf620 x0 : dfffffc000000000 Call trace: string_stream_clear+0x54/0x1ac __kunit_test_suites_init+0x108/0x1d8 kunit_exec_run_tests+0xb8/0x100 kunit_module_notify+0x400/0x55c notifier_call_chain+0xfc/0x3b4 blocking_notifier_call_chain+0x68/0x9c do_init_module+0x24c/0x5c8 load_module+0x4acc/0x4e90 init_module_from_file+0xd4/0x128 idempotent_init_module+0x2d4/0x57c __arm64_sys_finit_module+0xac/0x100 invoke_syscall+0x6c/0x258 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0x160/0x22c do_el0_svc+0x44/0x5c el0_svc+0x48/0xb8 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x13c/0x158 el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 Code: f9400753 d2dff800 f2fbffe0 d343fe7c (38e06b80) ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Kernel panic - not syncing: Oops: Fatal exception

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed
Debian:13 linux 0 6.12.5-1
Linux Kernel 6.7.0 6.12.4
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
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.8 0 6.8.0-1027.29~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.8 0 6.8.0-1027.32~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.8 0 6.8.0-1028.30~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-58.60~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm-6.8 0 6.8.0-1024.24~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-58.60.1~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 0 6.8.0-1026.29~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-oracle-6.8 0 6.8.0-1024.25~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-riscv-6.8 0 6.8.0-58.60.1~22.04.1
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 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux 0 6.8.0-58.60
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-aws 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-aws 0 6.8.0-1027.29
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure 0 6.8.0-1027.32
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-6.11 0 6.11.0-1012.12~24.04.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-azure-nvidia 0 6.8.0-1014.15
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 6.8.0-1028.30
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.11 0 6.11.0-1011.11~24.04.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gke 0 6.8.0-1023.27
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 6.8.0-1010.12
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.11 0 6.11.0-21.21~24.04.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 6.8.0-1024.24
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-intel 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 6.8.0-58.60.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 6.8.0-1026.29
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.11 0 6.11.0-1007.7
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 0 6.8.0-1026.29.1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 0 6.8.0-1008.8
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.11 0 6.11.0-1017.17
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oem-6.8 0 6.8.0-1026.26
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 6.8.0-1024.25
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 No fix
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 6.8.0-1028.32
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 No fix

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