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GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

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GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#1

Post by ranger_danger » Wed, Jul 08, 2026, 4:53 PM UTC

UAF = Use After Free (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangling_pointer)

GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years
nebusec.ai

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#2

Post by mixmastamyk » Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 10:24 PM UTC

A what?

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#3

Post by happymellon » Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 10:37 PM UTC

mixmastamyk wrote: post #2

A what?

Use after free?

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#4

Post by teleforce » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 12:12 AM UTC

>Google has rewarded us $92,337 in kernelCTF

I'm all ears now

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#5

Post by mrbluecoat » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 12:32 AM UTC

teleforce wrote: post #4

>Google has rewarded us $92,337 in kernelCTF I'm all ears now

Seems low considering the wide impact, but maybe the only thing corporations throw big money at is remote exploits?

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#6

Post by password4321 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 12:38 AM UTC

Forgot to include "LPE" (local...) in the title so most of us can get back to weekending.

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#7

Post by amatecha » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:23 AM UTC

Daaaaamn: "GhostLock was introduced in Linux 2.6.39 and fixed in Linux 7.1."

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#8

Post by circularfoyers » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 3:18 AM UTC

password4321 wrote: post #6

Forgot to include "LPE" (local...) in the title so most of us can get back to weekending.

Since this enables container escape, sounds like this might still impact quite a lot of us?

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#9

Post by tptacek » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 5:49 AM UTC

mrbluecoat wrote: post #5

teleforce wrote: post #4

>Google has rewarded us $92,337 in kernelCTF I'm all ears now

Seems low considering the wide impact, but maybe the only thing corporations throw big money at is remote exploits?

That's a huge amount of money for a vulnerability.

Re: GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years

#10

Post by goodburb » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 5:58 AM UTC

Tested on three Android devices (version 9, 13, 16) with different Firefox versions under 150 (had to modify for older).

Two boot looped, I had to enter recovery and the other just powered off [0].

The demo modifies the wallpaper on supported Pixel devices.

[0] IonStack https://rootme.nebusec.ai

____

Tip: Install a Chromium flavor browser (Chromite) separate from the main browser.

Disable Javascript and hardware accelerated video decoder (commonly exploited) from the flags page and enable reader mode to fix broken JS-dependent websites when browsing blogs and random sites on your personal devices, else dedicate a tablet.

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