In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sched/deadline: Fix task_struct reference leak
During the execution of the following stress test with linux-rt:
stress-ng --cyclic 30 --timeout 30 --minimize --quiet
kmemleak frequently reported a memory leak concerning the task_struct:
unreferenced object 0xffff8881305b8000 (size 16136):
comm "stress-ng", pid 614, jiffies 4294883961 (age 286.412s)
object hex dump (first 32 bytes):
02 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .@..............
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
debug hex dump (first 16 bytes):
53 09 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 S...............
backtrace:
[<00000000046b6790>] dup_task_struct+0x30/0x540
[<00000000c5ca0f0b>] copy_process+0x3d9/0x50e0
[<00000000ced59777>] kernel_clone+0xb0/0x770
[<00000000a50befdc>] __do_sys_clone+0xb6/0xf0
[<000000001dbf2008>] do_syscall_64+0x5d/0xf0
[<00000000552900ff>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6e/0x76
The issue occurs in start_dl_timer(), which increments the task_struct
reference count and sets a timer. The timer callback, dl_task_timer,
is supposed to decrement the reference count upon expiration. However,
if enqueue_task_dl() is called before the timer expires and cancels it,
the reference count is not decremented, leading to the leak.
This patch fixes the reference leak by ensuring the task_struct
reference count is properly decremented when the timer is canceled.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-41023 is a Linux kernel scheduler bug that can leak task memory when a deadline scheduling timer is canceled before it fires. The documented impact is memory leakage, not code execution. Business urgency depends on whether affected kernels run on systems with real-time or scheduler-stress workloads.
Executive priority
Treat as a practical reliability and availability issue, not an emergency remote-code-execution event based on current evidence. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, with faster handling for real-time, high-uptime, or memory-constrained Linux systems.
Technical view
The bug is in sched/deadline. start_dl_timer() increments a task_struct reference and expects dl_task_timer to release it. If enqueue_task_dl() cancels the timer first, the reference was not decremented, leaking task_struct memory. The referenced stable commits correct the missing release on timer cancellation.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernel versions or unpatched vendor backports, especially linux-rt or deadline-scheduling workloads. The bundle lists affected Linux versions including 5.10 through 6.10-related entries, but distribution-specific status requires vendor confirmation.
Exploitation context
No active exploitation is indicated. CISA KEV is false, and the source bundle provides no public exploit claim. The report was discovered through a stress-ng cyclic test with kmemleak, so triggerability outside similar scheduler stress conditions is not fully established here.
Researcher notes
The available evidence identifies a task_struct reference leak caused by canceled deadline timers. No CVSS, CWE, exploitability prerequisites, or distribution package matrix are provided. Further assessment should focus on backport status, required scheduling privileges, and whether repeated triggering can cause denial of service.
Mitigation direction
Update to a vendor kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
Check Linux distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
Prioritize real-time or deadline-scheduling systems for patch validation.
Monitor affected systems for unexplained kernel memory growth until patched.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux kernel versions across production and real-time fleets.
Confirm whether vendor kernels include the referenced stable commits.
Review scheduler-heavy workloads for abnormal memory growth symptoms.
Use vendor-supported testing before deploying kernel updates broadly.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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CVE-2024-41023 mapping review
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