A race condition in the Linux kernel AppArmor subsystem allows local attackers to potentially trigger a use after free vulnerability, leading to unauthorized system access or denial of service.

The vulnerability is a race condition (CWE-362) occurring within the AppArmor module's handling of i_private data. An attacker with local access can exploit the timing discrepancy between removing an entry from the filesystem and the final cleanup of the inode, potentially resulting in memory corruption or arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 7.8, indicating a high severity risk for local environments. Successful exploitation allows a local user to escalate privileges or crash the system, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, system instability, or full compromise of the affected host. Given the core nature of the Linux kernel, this poses a significant risk to the integrity and availability of any infrastructure relying on these kernel versions.

Immediate Action: Update the Linux kernel to version 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169, 6.6.130, or the latest stable release provided by your distribution vendor.

Proactive Monitoring: Monitor system logs for kernel panics or unusual process behavior that may indicate attempts to exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities.

Compensating Controls: Limit access to the local system to trusted users only, as the attack vector requires local, authenticated access to the machine. Ensure that security modules such as SELinux or AppArmor are correctly configured and updated to their latest versions.

Public Exploit Available: Unknown.

Organizations should prioritize the deployment of the provided kernel patches to mitigate this risk. Because this vulnerability involves a race condition in fundamental kernel memory management, standard security controls are often insufficient to prevent exploitation once a local user has gained access. Apply updates during the next scheduled maintenance window or sooner for high-security environments.