Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A Linux CacheFiles locking flaw may let a low-privileged local user trigger unsafe kernel-memory access during polling. Its supplied CVSS score is 7.8, reflecting potentially high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. It is not described as remotely reachable, and the sources do not establish real-world exploitation.
Executive priority
Prioritize patching hosts where untrusted users or workloads have local access and CacheFiles is used. Validate exposure before emergency action on systems lacking those conditions. This is a high-severity local kernel issue, but the supplied evidence does not indicate an internet-wide remote emergency or active exploitation.
Technical view
The CacheFiles poll routine iterates an xarray and dereferences cachefiles_req objects while holding only an RCU read lock. RCU pins the radix-tree slot, not necessarily the stored object, creating a lifetime race. The fix adds spinlock protection around iteration. Supplied affected releases include Linux 6.8, 6.9.10, and 6.10; distribution backports require separate confirmation.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where an affected Linux kernel uses CacheFiles and a local account or process can reach the polling path. Internet exposure alone is insufficient under the supplied local attack vector. Distribution kernels may backport fixes without changing their apparent upstream version, making package-level verification important.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector describes a local, low-complexity attack requiring low privileges but no user interaction. The CVE is not listed in KEV, and the supplied sources provide no evidence of active exploitation. They also provide no exploit availability or observed-incident information.
Researcher notes
The root issue is inadequate object-lifetime protection during xarray traversal; RCU protects the slot but not the referenced cachefiles_req. No CWE, reproducer, or exploitation evidence is supplied. Version metadata mixes affected releases with commit hashes marked unaffected, including a duplicate, so evaluate upstream ancestry and distribution backport documentation carefully.
Mitigation direction
- Update affected systems to a vendor-supported kernel confirmed to contain the referenced CacheFiles locking fix.
- Check distribution advisories and package changelogs for CVE-2024-42250 and applicable backport status.
- If updating is delayed, consult the kernel or distribution vendor; the supplied sources name no compensating control.
Validation and detection
- Inventory running kernel versions and flag vendor builds corresponding to the affected upstream releases.
- Determine whether CacheFiles is enabled or used on each potentially affected host.
- Verify the installed kernel contains a referenced fix commit or an explicitly documented vendor backport.
- After updating, confirm the fixed kernel is the active running kernel.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CVE-2024-42250 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/97cfd5e20ddc2e33e16ce369626ce76c9a475fd7CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bb6bd3dd6f382dfd36220d4b210a0c77c066651CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8eadcab7f3dd809edbe5ae20533ff843dfea3a07CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf5bb09e742a9cf6349127e868329a8f69b7a014CVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.htmlCVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.