VulnerabilityPublished 15 Jun 2024Updated 12 Nov 2024

CVE-2024-38394: gnome-settings-daemon

Affects gnome-settings-daemonSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.3 Medium : upgrade to 46.1 when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

4.3Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 24% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 46.1

CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

Attack Vector: Physical
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: Low
Integrity: Low
Availability: Low

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Physical: The attack requires the attacker to physically touch or manipulate the vulnerable component. Physical interaction may be brief or persistent.
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the impacted component.
Integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact on the impacted component.
Availability: Low: Performance is reduced or there are interruptions in resource availability. Even if repeated exploitation of the vulnerability is possible, the attacker does not have the ability to completely deny service to legitimate users. The resources in the impacted component are either partially available all of the time, or fully available only some of the time, but overall there is no direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Jun 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade gnome/gnome-settings-daemon to 46.1.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
GitHubgnome/gnome-settings-daemon`pkg:github/gnome/gnome-settings-daemon`Other threats	Affected <46.1	Fixed in 46.1

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2024-38394, organizations should implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized access to USB ports on Linux systems running GNOME. This includes using port locks, USB device whitelisting, or disabling unused USB ports via BIOS or kernel parameters. If you cannot patch yet, consider disabling automatic loading of USB device-specific kernel modules or restricting USB filesystem mounts through udev rules or systemd configurations. Employ endpoint security solutions that can detect anomalous USB device behavior. Additionally, educating users about the risks of connecting untrusted USB devices and enforcing policies against unauthorized hardware can reduce exploitation likelihood. For high-security environments, consider using hardware-based USB authorization solutions or disabling USB ports entirely where feasible.

Description

Mismatches in interpreting USB authorization policy between GNOME Settings Daemon (GSD) through 46.0 and the Linux kernel's underlying device matching logic allow a physically proximate attacker to access some unintended Linux kernel USB functionality, such as USB device-specific kernel modules and filesystem implementations. NOTE: the GSD supplier indicates that consideration of a mitigation for this within GSD would be in the context of "a new feature, not a CVE."

Impact

The vulnerability allows an attacker with physical access to a Linux system running GNOME Settings Daemon through version 46.0 to bypass USB authorization policies and access unintended kernel USB functionalities. This can lead to unauthorized loading of USB device-specific kernel modules or access to USB filesystem implementations, potentially enabling privilege escalation, data leakage, or system instability. While the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is limited compared to remote exploits, the risk is significant in environments where physical access is possible, such as shared workspaces, public kiosks, or untrusted physical locations. Organizations relying on Linux desktops or laptops with GNOME in sensitive environments may face increased risk of targeted attacks or insider threats exploiting this vulnerability. The lack of user interaction or privileges required lowers the barrier for exploitation once physical access is obtained. However, the absence of known exploits in the wild and the medium CVSS score suggest moderate urgency. Still, the vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a multi-stage attack chain to gain deeper system access or persistence.

References

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