In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/xattr: missing fdput() in fremovexattr error path In the Linux kernel, the fremovexattr() syscall calls fdget() to acquire a file reference but returns early without calling fdput() when strncpy_from_user() fails on the name argument. In multi-threaded processes where fdget() takes the slow path, this permanently leaks one file reference per call, pinning the struct file and associated kernel objects in memory. An unprivileged local user can exploit this to cause kernel memory exhaustion. The issue was inadvertently fixed by commit a71874379ec8 ("xattr: switch to CLASS(fd)").
History

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/xattr: missing fdput() in fremovexattr error path In the Linux kernel, the fremovexattr() syscall calls fdget() to acquire a file reference but returns early without calling fdput() when strncpy_from_user() fails on the name argument. In multi-threaded processes where fdget() takes the slow path, this permanently leaks one file reference per call, pinning the struct file and associated kernel objects in memory. An unprivileged local user can exploit this to cause kernel memory exhaustion. The issue was inadvertently fixed by commit a71874379ec8 ("xattr: switch to CLASS(fd)").
Title xattr: switch to CLASS(fd)
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-09T15:51:12.634Z

Reserved: 2026-03-09T15:47:22.723Z

Link: CVE-2024-14027

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-03-09T16:16:14.313

Modified: 2026-03-09T16:16:14.313

Link: CVE-2024-14027

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.