CVE-2024-50212: lib: alloc_tag_module_unload must wait for pending kfree_rcu calls

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2024-11-09 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-401

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: lib: alloc_tag_module_unload must wait for pending kfree_rcu calls Ben Greear reports following splat: ------------[ cut here ]------------ net/netfilter/nf_nat_core.c:1114 module nf_nat func:nf_nat_register_fn has 256 allocated at module unload WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 10421 at lib/alloc_tag.c:168 alloc_tag_module_unload+0x22b/0x3f0 Modules linked in: nf_nat(-) btrfs ufs qnx4 hfsplus hfs minix vfat msdos fat ... Hardware name: Default string Default string/SKYBAY, BIOS 5.12 08/04/2020 RIP: 0010:alloc_tag_module_unload+0x22b/0x3f0 codetag_unload_module+0x19b/0x2a0 ? codetag_load_module+0x80/0x80 nf_nat module exit calls kfree_rcu on those addresses, but the free operation is likely still pending by the time alloc_tag checks for leaks. Wait for outstanding kfree_rcu operations to complete before checking resolves this warning. Reproducer: unshare -n iptables-nft -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp grep nf_nat /proc/allocinfo # will list 4 allocations rmmod nft_chain_nat rmmod nf_nat # will WARN. [akpm@linux-foundation.org: add comment]

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 6.10 before 6.11.7; 6.12-rc1, 6.12-rc2, 6.12-rc3 — fixed in 6.11.7

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 6.11.7. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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