CVE-2024-53131

CVE-2024-53131 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-476.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: fix null-ptr-deref in block_touch_buffer tracepoint Patch series "nilfs2: fix null-ptr-deref bugs on block tracepoints". This series fixes null pointer dereference bugs that occur when using nilfs2 and two block-related tracepoints. This patch (of 2): It has been reported that when using "block:block_touch_buffer" tracepoint, touch_buffer() called from __nilfs_get_folio_block() causes a NULL pointer dereference, or a general protection fault when KASAN is enabled. This happens because since the tracepoint was added in touch_buffer(), it references the dev_t member bh->b_bdev->bd_dev regardless of whether the buffer head has a pointer to a block_device structure. In the current implementation, the block_device structure is set after the function returns to the caller. Here, touch_buffer() is used to mark the folio/page that owns the buffer head as accessed, but the common search helper for folio/page used by the caller function was optimized to mark the folio/page as accessed when it was reimplemented a long time ago, eliminating the need to call touch_buffer() here in the first place. So this solves the issue by eliminating the touch_buffer() call itself.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-53131?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: fix null-ptr-deref in block_touch_buffer tracepoint Patch series "nilfs2: fix null-ptr-deref bugs on block tracepoints". This series fixes null pointer dereference bugs that occur when using nilfs2 and two block-related tracepoints. This patch (of 2): It has been reported that when using "block:block_touch_buffer" tracepoint, touch_buffer() called from __nilfs_get_folio_block() causes a NULL pointer dereference, or a general protection fault when KASAN is enabled. This happens because since the tracepoint was added in touch_buffer(), it references the dev_t member bh->b_bdev->bd_dev regardless of whether the buffer head has a pointer to a block_device structure. In the current implementation, the block_device structure is set after the function returns to the caller. Here, touch_buffer() is used to mark the folio/page that owns the buffer head as accessed, but the common search helper for folio/page used by the caller function was optimized to mark the folio/page as accessed when it was reimplemented a long time ago, eliminating the need to call touch_buffer() here in the first place. So this solves the issue by eliminating the touch_buffer() call itself.
How severe is CVE-2024-53131?
CVE-2024-53131 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2024-53131 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (14th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2024-53131?
CVE-2024-53131 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2024-53131?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2024-53131 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2024-53131 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-51803.
When was CVE-2024-53131 published?
CVE-2024-53131 was published on 2024-12-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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