CVE-2024-42292 – This CVE describes an out-of-bounds memory acce... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-42292?

CVE-2024-42292 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). This CVE describes an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability in the Linux kernel's kobject_uevent subsystem. The flaw occurs when zap_modalias_env() incorrectly calculates memory block sizes, potentially allowing attackers to read or write beyond allocated memory boundaries. This affects all Linux systems running vulnerable kernel versions.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE describes an out-of-bounds memory access vulnerability in the Linux kernel's kobject_uevent subsystem. The flaw occurs when zap_modalias_env() incorrectly calculates memory block sizes, potentially allowing attackers to read or write beyond allocated memory boundaries. This affects all Linux systems running vulnerable kernel versions.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific vulnerable versions not explicitly stated in CVE, but patches exist for multiple stable branches

Operating Systems: All Linux distributions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: All Linux systems with vulnerable kernel versions are affected regardless of configuration

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel memory corruption leading to system crash, privilege escalation, or arbitrary code execution at kernel level

🟠

Likely Case

System instability, kernel panic, or denial of service through memory corruption

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact if proper kernel hardening and memory protection mechanisms are enabled

🌐 Internet-Facing: MEDIUM - Requires local access or ability to trigger kernel events

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers could exploit this for privilege escalation

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires triggering specific kernel events and understanding memory layout

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel branches (see references for specific commits)

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/57fe01d3d04276875c7e3a6dc763517fc05b8762

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version 2. Reboot system 3. Verify kernel version matches patched release

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

No known workarounds

linux

This is a kernel-level memory corruption vulnerability requiring patching

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict user access to minimize attack surface
Implement strict process isolation and containerization

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and compare against patched releases in git.kernel.org references

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version after update and reboot matches patched version

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic logs
OOM killer activity
Unexpected system crashes

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "segfault")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-42292

CVSS v3 Score: 7.1 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

CWE: CWE-125

Published: August 17, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

📄 Export Markdown 📋 Export JSON

🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

If you're affected by CVE-2024-42292, you might also want to check these: