Kernel crash via unlocked IMA dentry name
Published Jul 12, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel IMA allows local users to crash the kernel by racing a measured file with a concurrent rename. IMA measurement code retains dentry->d_name.name without a stabilizing lock, so rename can free the name before strlen or memcpy uses it. Reaching the flaw requires local low-privileged access and an active IMA measurement policy; the stale read can disclose kernel heap data, corrupt measurement records, or crash the kernel.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel IMA allows local users to crash the kernel by racing a measured file with a concurrent rename. IMA measurement code retains dentry->d_name.name without a stabilizing lock, so rename can free the name before strlen or memcpy uses it. Reaching the flaw requires local low-privileged access and an active IMA measurement policy; the stale read can disclose kernel heap data, corrupt measurement records, or crash the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-39494
- Published
- Jul 12, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 12, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <0b31e28fbd773aefb6164687e0767319b8199829
- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <480afcbeb7aaaa22677d3dd48ec590b441eaac1a
- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <7fb374981e31c193b1152ed8d3b0a95b671330d4
- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <a78a6f0da57d058e2009e9958fdcef66f165208c
- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <be84f32bb2c981ca670922e047cdde1488b233de
- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <dd431c3ac1fc34a9268580dd59ad3e3c76b32a8c
- Affected versionversion=2fe5d6def1672ae6635dd71867bf36dcfaa7434b <edf287bc610b18d7a9c0c0c1cb2e97b9348c71bb
- Affected versionversion=3.7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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