Kernel memory corruption via unchecked metadata inode numbers
Published Jul 30, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux 2.6.30 and later affected branches allows local users to crash the kernel via a crafted NILFS2 image. nilfs_check_folio accepts reserved metadata inode numbers from directory entries, letting nilfs_iget return a live metadata inode that nilfs_evict_inode later deletes while still in use. Exploitation requires local access to mount or attach the image and perform ordinary file operations; the stale inode can expose or alter kernel memory and reliably panic the system.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux 2.6.30 and later affected branches allows local users to crash the kernel via a crafted NILFS2 image. nilfs_check_folio accepts reserved metadata inode numbers from directory entries, letting nilfs_iget return a live metadata inode that nilfs_evict_inode later deletes while still in use. Exploitation requires local access to mount or attach the image and perform ordinary file operations; the stale inode can expose or alter kernel memory and reliably panic the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-42104
- Published
- Jul 30, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 30, 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.30
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <07c176e7acc5579c133bb923ab21316d192d0a95
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <1b7d549ed2c1fa202c751b69423a0d3a6bd5a180
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <265fff1a01cdc083aeaf0d934c929db5cc64aebf
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <2f2fa9cf7c3537958a82fbe8c8595a5eb0861ad7
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <3ab40870edb883b9633dc5cd55f5a2a11afa618d
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <b11e8fb93ea5eefb2e4e719497ea177a58ff6131
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <bb76c6c274683c8570ad788f79d4b875bde0e458
- Affected versionversion=2ba466d74ed74f073257f86e61519cb8f8f46184 <c33c2b0d92aa1c2262d999b2598ad6fbd53bd479
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
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo