CVE-2024-56617
cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU hotplug if not done from the primary CPU
Published Dec 27, 2024
CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium
EPSS < 1%
KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU hotplug if not done from the primary CPU
Commit
5944ce092b97 ("arch_topology: Build cacheinfo from primary CPU")
adds functionality that architectures can use to optionally allocate and
build cacheinfo early during boot. Commit
6539cffa9495 ("cacheinfo: Add arch specific early level initializer")
lets secondary CPUs correct (and reallocate memory) cacheinfo data if
needed.
If the early build functionality is not used and cacheinfo does not need
correction, memory for cacheinfo is never allocated. x86 does not use
the early build functionality. Consequently, during the cacheinfo CPU
hotplug callback, last_level_cache_is_valid() attempts to dereference
a NULL pointer:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000100
#PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode
#PF: error_code(0x0000) - not present page
PGD 0 P4D 0
Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEPMT SMP NOPTI
CPU: 0 PID 19 Comm: cpuhp/0 Not tainted 6.4.0-rc2 #1
RIP: 0010: last_level_cache_is_valid+0x95/0xe0a
Allocate memory for cacheinfo during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback
if not done earlier.
Moreover, before determining the validity of the last-level cache info,
ensure that it has been allocated. Simply checking for non-zero
cache_leaves() is not sufficient, as some architectures (e.g., Intel
processors) have non-zero cache_leaves() before allocation.
Dereferencing NULL cacheinfo can occur in update_per_cpu_data_slice_size().
This function iterates over all online CPUs. However, a CPU may have come
online recently, but its cacheinfo may not have been allocated yet.
While here, remove an unnecessary indentation in allocate_cache_info().
[ bp: Massage. ]
cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU hotplug if not done from the primary CPU
Commit
5944ce092b97 ("arch_topology: Build cacheinfo from primary CPU")
adds functionality that architectures can use to optionally allocate and
build cacheinfo early during boot. Commit
6539cffa9495 ("cacheinfo: Add arch specific early level initializer")
lets secondary CPUs correct (and reallocate memory) cacheinfo data if
needed.
If the early build functionality is not used and cacheinfo does not need
correction, memory for cacheinfo is never allocated. x86 does not use
the early build functionality. Consequently, during the cacheinfo CPU
hotplug callback, last_level_cache_is_valid() attempts to dereference
a NULL pointer:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000100
#PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode
#PF: error_code(0x0000) - not present page
PGD 0 P4D 0
Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEPMT SMP NOPTI
CPU: 0 PID 19 Comm: cpuhp/0 Not tainted 6.4.0-rc2 #1
RIP: 0010: last_level_cache_is_valid+0x95/0xe0a
Allocate memory for cacheinfo during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback
if not done earlier.
Moreover, before determining the validity of the last-level cache info,
ensure that it has been allocated. Simply checking for non-zero
cache_leaves() is not sufficient, as some architectures (e.g., Intel
processors) have non-zero cache_leaves() before allocation.
Dereferencing NULL cacheinfo can occur in update_per_cpu_data_slice_size().
This function iterates over all online CPUs. However, a CPU may have come
online recently, but its cacheinfo may not have been allocated yet.
While here, remove an unnecessary indentation in allocate_cache_info().
[ bp: Massage. ]
Analysis
Affected Products
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CVE record
-
NVD configurations
-
Red Hat packages
No data
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OpenCVE enrichment
No data
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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Configuration 1 [-]
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No data.
No data available yet.
Remediation
Tracking
Advisories
| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
 EUVD |
EUVD-2024-53265 | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU hotplug if not done from the primary CPU Commit 5944ce092b97 ("arch_topology: Build cacheinfo from primary CPU") adds functionality that architectures can use to optionally allocate and build cacheinfo early during boot. Commit 6539cffa9495 ("cacheinfo: Add arch specific early level initializer") lets secondary CPUs correct (and reallocate memory) cacheinfo data if needed. If the early build functionality is not used and cacheinfo does not need correction, memory for cacheinfo is never allocated. x86 does not use the early build functionality. Consequently, during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback, last_level_cache_is_valid() attempts to dereference a NULL pointer: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000100 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not present page PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEPMT SMP NOPTI CPU: 0 PID 19 Comm: cpuhp/0 Not tainted 6.4.0-rc2 #1 RIP: 0010: last_level_cache_is_valid+0x95/0xe0a Allocate memory for cacheinfo during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback if not done earlier. Moreover, before determining the validity of the last-level cache info, ensure that it has been allocated. Simply checking for non-zero cache_leaves() is not sufficient, as some architectures (e.g., Intel processors) have non-zero cache_leaves() before allocation. Dereferencing NULL cacheinfo can occur in update_per_cpu_data_slice_size(). This function iterates over all online CPUs. However, a CPU may have come online recently, but its cacheinfo may not have been allocated yet. While here, remove an unnecessary indentation in allocate_cache_info(). [ bp: Massage. ] |
 Ubuntu USN |
USN-7379-1 | Linux kernel vulnerabilities |
| Ubuntu USN |
USN-7379-2 | Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities |
| Ubuntu USN |
USN-7380-1 | Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities |
| Ubuntu USN |
USN-7381-1 | Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities |
| Ubuntu USN |
USN-7382-1 | Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities |
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity Low
Privileges Required Low
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact None
Availability Impact High
User Interaction None
No CVSS v3.0
No CVSS v2
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.206% probability within 30 days)
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial
References
History
Oct 1, 2025 9:15 PM
Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics |
ssvc
|
Jan 16, 2025 4:30 PM
First appearance in the feed. Weaknesses updated. Affected versions updated. Affected vendors updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| Weaknesses | CWE-476 | |
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* |
|
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
Dec 30, 2024 1:30 AM
Added references. Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Dec 27, 2024 3:00 PM
Description updated. Title updated. Added references
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU hotplug if not done from the primary CPU Commit 5944ce092b97 ("arch_topology: Build cacheinfo from primary CPU") adds functionality that architectures can use to optionally allocate and build cacheinfo early during boot. Commit 6539cffa9495 ("cacheinfo: Add arch specific early level initializer") lets secondary CPUs correct (and reallocate memory) cacheinfo data if needed. If the early build functionality is not used and cacheinfo does not need correction, memory for cacheinfo is never allocated. x86 does not use the early build functionality. Consequently, during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback, last_level_cache_is_valid() attempts to dereference a NULL pointer: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000100 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not present page PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEPMT SMP NOPTI CPU: 0 PID 19 Comm: cpuhp/0 Not tainted 6.4.0-rc2 #1 RIP: 0010: last_level_cache_is_valid+0x95/0xe0a Allocate memory for cacheinfo during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback if not done earlier. Moreover, before determining the validity of the last-level cache info, ensure that it has been allocated. Simply checking for non-zero cache_leaves() is not sufficient, as some architectures (e.g., Intel processors) have non-zero cache_leaves() before allocation. Dereferencing NULL cacheinfo can occur in update_per_cpu_data_slice_size(). This function iterates over all online CPUs. However, a CPU may have come online recently, but its cacheinfo may not have been allocated yet. While here, remove an unnecessary indentation in allocate_cache_info(). [ bp: Massage. ] | |
| Title | cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU hotplug if not done from the primary CPU | |
| References |
|
Subscriptions
Weaknesses
-
CWE-476
NULL Pointer Dereference
