CVE-2024-57979 — pps: Fix a use-after-free
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pps: Fix a use-after-free On a board running ntpd and gpsd, I'm seeing a consistent use-after-free in sys_exit() from gpsd when rebooting: pps pps1: removed ------------[ cut here ]------------ kobject: '(null)' (00000000db4bec24): is not initialized, yet kobject_put() is being called. WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 440 at lib/kobject.c:734 kobject_put+0x120/0x150 CPU: 2 UID: 299 PID: 440 Comm: gpsd Not tainted 6.11.0-rc6-00308-gb31c44928842 #1 Hardware name: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Rev 1.1 (DT) pstate: 60000005 (nZCv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : kobject_put+0x120/0x150 lr : kobject_put+0x120/0x150 sp : ffffffc0803d3ae0 x29: ffffffc0803d3ae0 x28: ffffff8042dc9738 x27: 0000000000000001 x26: 0000000000000000 x25: ffffff8042dc9040 x24: ffffff8042dc9440 x23: ffffff80402a4620 x22: ffffff8042ef4bd0 x21: ffffff80405cb600 x20: 000000000008001b x19: ffffff8040b3b6e0 x18: 0000000000000000 x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 696e6920746f6e20 x14: 7369203a29343263 x13: 205d303434542020 x12: 0000000000000000 x11: 0000000000000000 x10: 0000000000000000 x9 : 0000000000000000 x8 : 0000000000000000 x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 0000000000000000 x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000000 x3 : 0000000000000000 x2 : 0000000000000000 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : 0000000000000000 Call trace: kobject_put+0x120/0x150 cdev_put+0x20/0x3c __fput+0x2c4/0x2d8 ____fput+0x1c/0x38 task_work_run+0x70/0xfc do_exit+0x2a0/0x924 do_group_exit+0x34/0x90 get_signal+0x7fc/0x8c0 do_signal+0x128/0x13b4 do_notify_resume+0xdc/0x160 el0_svc+0xd4/0xf8 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x140/0x14c el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- ...followed by more symptoms of corruption, with similar stacks: refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. kernel BUG at lib/list_debug.c:62! Kernel panic - not syncing: Oops - BUG: Fatal exception This happens because pps_device_destruct() frees the pps_device with the embedded cdev immediately after calling cdev_del(), but, as the comment above cdev_del() notes, fops for previously opened cdevs are still callable even after cdev_del() returns. I think this bug has always been there: I can't explain why it suddenly started happening every time I reboot this particular board. In commit d953e0e837e6 ("pps: Fix a use-after free bug when unregistering a source."), George Spelvin suggested removing the embedded cdev. That seems like the simplest way to fix this, so I've implemented his suggestion, using __register_chrdev() with pps_idr becoming the source of truth for which minor corresponds to which device. But now that pps_idr defines userspace visibility instead of cdev_add(), we need to be sure the pps->dev refcount can't reach zero while userspace can still find it again. So, the idr_remove() call moves to pps_unregister_cdev(), and pps_idr now holds a reference to pps->dev. pps_core: source serial1 got cdev (251:1) <...> pps pps1: removed pps_core: unregistering pps1 pps_core: deallocating pps1
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 0.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+2
- Technical severity (high)+6
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 matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < 91932db1d96b2952299ce30c1c693d834d10ace6version 3.9≥ 3.8.1 and < 3.9≥ 3.4.87 and < 3.5≥ 3.2.40 and < 3.3version 49626fbb0360332e40fd76a48cb2ba876d6134adversion cd59fb14918a6b20c1ac8be121fa6397b97b00cbversion 77327a71f9841b7dfa708195d1cb133d4ef4a989 and 7 more≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < c79a39dc8d060b9e64e8b0fa9d245d44befeefbe≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < 85241f7de216f8298f6e48540ea13d7dcd100870≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < 7e5ee3281dc09014367f5112b6d566ba36ea2d49≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < cd3bbcb6b3a7caa5ce67de76723b6d8531fb7f64≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < c4041b6b0a7a3def8cf3f3d6120ff337bc4c40f7≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < 1a7735ab2cb9747518a7416fb5929e85442dec62≥ d953e0e837e65ecc1ddaa4f9560f7925878a0de6 and < 785c78ed0d39d1717cca3ef931d3e51337b5e90e |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
≥ 3.2.40 and < 3.3≥ 6.13 and < 6.13.2≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.13≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.76≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.129≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.179≥ 5.5 and < 5.10.235≥ 3.8.1 and < 5.4.291 and 1 more≥ 3.4.87 and < 3.5 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
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.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
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 · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- 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
16 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c4041b6b0a7a3def8cf3f3d6120ff337bc4c40f7
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/785c78ed0d39d1717cca3ef931d3e51337b5e90e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/91932db1d96b2952299ce30c1c693d834d10ace6
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1a7735ab2cb9747518a7416fb5929e85442dec62
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c79a39dc8d060b9e64e8b0fa9d245d44befeefbe
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd3bbcb6b3a7caa5ce67de76723b6d8531fb7f64
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/85241f7de216f8298f6e48540ea13d7dcd100870
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e5ee3281dc09014367f5112b6d566ba36ea2d49
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-579q-3q2m-34fw
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-784472.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00028.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-57979
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 14h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 14h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 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-2024-57979 is "pps: Fix a use-after-free", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.26% 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.
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