CVE-2024-42090 — pinctrl: fix deadlock in create_pinctrl() when handling -EPROBE_DEFER
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pinctrl: fix deadlock in create_pinctrl() when handling -EPROBE_DEFER In create_pinctrl(), pinctrl_maps_mutex is acquired before calling add_setting(). If add_setting() returns -EPROBE_DEFER, create_pinctrl() calls pinctrl_free(). However, pinctrl_free() attempts to acquire pinctrl_maps_mutex, which is already held by create_pinctrl(), leading to a potential deadlock. This patch resolves the issue by releasing pinctrl_maps_mutex before calling pinctrl_free(), preventing the deadlock. This bug was discovered and resolved using Coverity Static Analysis Security Testing (SAST) by Synopsys, Inc.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < e65a0dc2e85efb28e182aca50218e8a056d0ce04≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < 420ce1261907e5dbeda1e4daffd5b6c76f8188c0≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < b813e3fd102a959c5b208ed68afe27e0137a561b≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < 01fe2f885f7813f8aed5d3704b384a97b1116a9e≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < b36efd2e3e22a329444b6b24fa48df6d20ae66e6≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < 4038c57bf61631219b31f1bd6e92106ec7f084dc≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < 48a7a7c9571c3e62f17012dd7f2063e926179ddd≥ 42fed7ba44e4e8c1fb27b28ad14490cb1daff3c7 and < adec57ff8e66aee632f3dd1f93787c13d112b7a1 and 1 moreversion 3.10 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 3.10 and < 4.19.317≥ 4.20 and < 5.4.279≥ 5.5 and < 5.10.221≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.162≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.97≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.37≥ 6.7 and < 6.9.8 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 14, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.19%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2024
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
12 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/48a7a7c9571c3e62f17012dd7f2063e926179ddd
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/adec57ff8e66aee632f3dd1f93787c13d112b7a1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b813e3fd102a959c5b208ed68afe27e0137a561b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4038c57bf61631219b31f1bd6e92106ec7f084dc
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/420ce1261907e5dbeda1e4daffd5b6c76f8188c0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e65a0dc2e85efb28e182aca50218e8a056d0ce04
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/01fe2f885f7813f8aed5d3704b384a97b1116a9e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b36efd2e3e22a329444b6b24fa48df6d20ae66e6
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-pr22-x636-xp32
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42090
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 15h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 15h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2024-42090 is "pinctrl: fix deadlock in create_pinctrl() when handling -EPROBE_DEFER", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.19% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
Comments
Moderated technical discussion. Read the community guidelines.
No comments yet.
Sign in or create an account to comment and suggest corrections.