Kernel-data disclosure via uninitialized HFS+ xattr buffer
Published Jul 29, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use of uninitialized memory in Linux kernel HFS+ xattr handling allows local users to read stale kernel data through listxattr. The hfsplus_listxattr function allocates strbuf without zeroing it, and copy_name passes uninitialized bytes to sized_strscpy while building the returned name list. Reaching the flaw requires a mounted HFS+ filesystem and local access to query extended-attribute names; the observed failure is an uninitialized-memory read.
Summary
What happened
Use of uninitialized memory in Linux kernel HFS+ xattr handling allows local users to read stale kernel data through listxattr. The hfsplus_listxattr function allocates strbuf without zeroing it, and copy_name passes uninitialized bytes to sized_strscpy while building the returned name list. Reaching the flaw requires a mounted HFS+ filesystem and local access to query extended-attribute names; the observed failure is an uninitialized-memory read.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-41059
- Published
- Jul 29, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-908, T1005
- 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=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <0570730c16307a72f8241df12363f76600baf57d
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <22999936b91ba545ce1fbbecae6895127945e91c
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <34f8efd2743f2d961e92e8e994de4c7a2f9e74a0
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <72805debec8f7aa342da194fe0ed7bc8febea335
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <ad57dc2caf1e0a3c0a9904400fae7afbc9f74bb2
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <c733e24a61cbcff10f660041d6d84d32bb7e4cb4
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <d02d8c1dacafb28930c39e16d48e40bb6e4cbc70
- Affected versionversion=017f8da43e92ddd9989884720b694a512e09ccce <f08956d8e0f80fd0d4ad84ec917302bb2f3a9c6a
- Affected versionversion=3.16
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
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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