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CVE Record

CVE-2024-43891: tracing: Have format file honor EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Have format file honor EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED When eventfs was introduced, special care had to be done to coordinate the freeing of the file meta data with the files that are exposed to user space. The file meta data would have a ref count that is set when the file is created and would be decremented and freed after the last user that opened the file closed it. When the file meta data was to be freed, it would set a flag (EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED) to denote that the file is freed, and any new references made (like new opens or reads) would fail as it is marked freed. This allowed other meta data to be freed after this flag was set (under the event_mutex). All the files that were dynamically created in the events directory had a pointer to the file meta data and would call event_release() when the last reference to the user space file was closed. This would be the time that it is safe to free the file meta data. A shortcut was made for the "format" file. It's i_private would point to the "call" entry directly and not point to the file's meta data. This is because all format files are the same for the same "call", so it was thought there was no reason to differentiate them. The other files maintain state (like the "enable", "trigger", etc). But this meant if the file were to disappear, the "format" file would be unaware of it. This caused a race that could be trigger via the user_events test (that would create dynamic events and free them), and running a loop that would read the user_events format files: In one console run: # cd tools/testing/selftests/user_events # while true; do ./ftrace_test; done And in another console run: # cd /sys/kernel/tracing/ # while true; do cat events/user_events/__test_event/format; done 2>/dev/null With KASAN memory checking, it would trigger a use-after-free bug report (which was a real bug). This was because the format file was not checking the file's meta data flag "EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED", so it would access the event that the file meta data pointed to after the event was freed. After inspection, there are other locations that were found to not check the EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED flag when accessing the trace_event_file. Add a new helper function: event_file_file() that will make sure that the event_mutex is held, and will return NULL if the trace_event_file has the EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED flag set. Have the first reference of the struct file pointer use event_file_file() and check for NULL. Later uses can still use the event_file_data() helper function if the event_mutex is still held and was not released since the event_file_file() call.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2024-43891 is a Linux kernel tracing bug where a dynamically removed tracing event could still be accessed through its format file. The public source describes a real use-after-free detected with KASAN. No CVSS score or public active exploitation evidence is provided.

Executive priority

Prioritize routine-to-expedited kernel patching for systems that expose tracing facilities or support untrusted local users. Business urgency is lower than a known-exploited remote flaw, but kernel memory safety bugs warrant timely remediation.

Technical view

The issue is in Linux kernel tracing/eventfs. The format file used i_private to point directly at the call entry, bypassing trace_event_file metadata and the EVENT_FILE_FL_FREED check. During dynamic user_events creation and deletion, this could access freed event data. Stable fixes add event_file_file() checks before first use.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with tracing/eventfs and user_events available. The source does not establish remote exposure, privilege requirements, or distribution-specific package impact. Validate against your kernel vendor’s backports and the referenced stable commits.

Exploitation context

The source describes a race reproduced through kernel selftests and repeated reads of a tracing format file, with KASAN confirming use-after-free. KEV is false in the bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation in the wild.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to the CVE description and linked stable commits. The root flaw is missing freed-state validation for format-file access to trace_event_file-related data. Avoid assuming impact beyond local kernel memory corruption without additional vendor analysis.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux kernel or distribution updates containing the referenced stable tracing fixes.
  • Check vendor advisories for backported patches matching your deployed kernel packages.
  • Restrict access to tracing/debug filesystems to trusted administrators while updates are pending.
  • Treat tracing interfaces as sensitive on shared or multi-user Linux hosts.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory deployed Linux kernel versions and compare with vendor fixed versions.
  • Confirm patched kernels include the referenced tracing/eventfs fixes or equivalent backports.
  • Check whether tracefs, eventfs, and user_events are enabled on affected hosts.
  • Review kernel logs for KASAN or use-after-free reports involving tracing/eventfs.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
4Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux14aa4f3efc6e784847e8c8543a7ef34ec9bdbb01, b63db58e2fa5d6963db9c45df88e60060f0ff35f, b63db58e2fa5d6963db9c45df88e60060f0ff35f, 6.6.33unaffected
LinuxLinux6.9, 0, 6.6.49, 6.10.5, 6.11affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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