Kernel memory corruption via stale POSIX lock
Published Jul 29, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
A race condition in affected Linux kernel releases on 32-bit systems allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through fcntl64 and close. The compat fcntl_setlk64 path retries a raced descriptor without detecting failed lock removal, leaving a stale POSIX lock that outlives freed owner and file objects. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access to a 32-bit kernel and can expose or modify kernel memory or crash the system.
Summary
What happened
A race condition in affected Linux kernel releases on 32-bit systems allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through fcntl64 and close. The compat fcntl_setlk64 path retries a raced descriptor without detecting failed lock removal, leaving a stale POSIX lock that outlives freed owner and file objects. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access to a 32-bit kernel and can expose or modify kernel memory or crash the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-41020
- Published
- Jul 29, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 29, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.13
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <4c43ad4ab41602201d34c66ac62130fe339d686f
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <53e21cfa68a7d12de378b7116c75571f73e0dfa2
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <5b0af8e4c70e4b884bb94ff5f0cd49ecf1273c02
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <73ae349534ebc377328e7d21891e589626c6e82c
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <911cc83e56a2de5a40758766c6a70d6998248860
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <a561145f3ae973ebf3e0aee41624e92a6c5cb38d
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <ed898f9ca3fa32c56c858b463ceb9d9936cc69c4
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <f4d0775c6e2f1340ca0725f0337de149aaa989ca
- Affected versionversion=c293621bbf678a3d85e3ed721c3921c8a670610d <f8138f2ad2f745b9a1c696a05b749eabe44337ea
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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