CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2024-53105

Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Published: Dec 02, 2024 | Modified: Sep 19, 2025
CVSS 3.x
5.5
MEDIUM
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.x
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
5.5 MODERATE
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Ubuntu
MEDIUM

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

mm: page_alloc: move mlocked flag clearance into free_pages_prepare()

Syzbot reported a bad page state problem caused by a page being freed using free_page() still having a mlocked flag at free_pages_prepare() stage:

BUG: Bad page state in process syz.5.504 pfn:61f45 page: refcount:0 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000000000000 index:0x0 pfn:0x61f45 flags: 0xfff00000080204(referenced|workingset|mlocked|node=0|zone=1|lastcpupid=0x7ff) raw: 00fff00000080204 0000000000000000 dead000000000122 0000000000000000 raw: 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 00000000ffffffff 0000000000000000 page dumped because: PAGE_FLAGS_CHECK_AT_FREE flag(s) set page_owner tracks the page as allocated page last allocated via order 0, migratetype Unmovable, gfp_mask 0x400dc0(GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT|__GFP_ZERO), pid 8443, tgid 8442 (syz.5.504), ts 201884660643, free_ts 201499827394 set_page_owner include/linux/page_owner.h:32 [inline] post_alloc_hook+0x1f3/0x230 mm/page_alloc.c:1537 prep_new_page mm/page_alloc.c:1545 [inline] get_page_from_freelist+0x303f/0x3190 mm/page_alloc.c:3457 __alloc_pages_noprof+0x292/0x710 mm/page_alloc.c:4733 alloc_pages_mpol_noprof+0x3e8/0x680 mm/mempolicy.c:2265 kvm_coalesced_mmio_init+0x1f/0xf0 virt/kvm/coalesced_mmio.c:99 kvm_create_vm virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:1235 [inline] kvm_dev_ioctl_create_vm virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:5488 [inline] kvm_dev_ioctl+0x12dc/0x2240 virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:5530 __do_compat_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:1007 [inline] __se_compat_sys_ioctl+0x510/0xc90 fs/ioctl.c:950 do_syscall_32_irqs_on arch/x86/entry/common.c:165 [inline] __do_fast_syscall_32+0xb4/0x110 arch/x86/entry/common.c:386 do_fast_syscall_32+0x34/0x80 arch/x86/entry/common.c:411 entry_SYSENTER_compat_after_hwframe+0x84/0x8e page last free pid 8399 tgid 8399 stack trace: reset_page_owner include/linux/page_owner.h:25 [inline] free_pages_prepare mm/page_alloc.c:1108 [inline] free_unref_folios+0xf12/0x18d0 mm/page_alloc.c:2686 folios_put_refs+0x76c/0x860 mm/swap.c:1007 free_pages_and_swap_cache+0x5c8/0x690 mm/swap_state.c:335 __tlb_batch_free_encoded_pages mm/mmu_gather.c:136 [inline] tlb_batch_pages_flush mm/mmu_gather.c:149 [inline] tlb_flush_mmu_free mm/mmu_gather.c:366 [inline] tlb_flush_mmu+0x3a3/0x680 mm/mmu_gather.c:373 tlb_finish_mmu+0xd4/0x200 mm/mmu_gather.c:465 exit_mmap+0x496/0xc40 mm/mmap.c:1926 __mmput+0x115/0x390 kernel/fork.c:1348 exit_mm+0x220/0x310 kernel/exit.c:571 do_exit+0x9b2/0x28e0 kernel/exit.c:926 do_group_exit+0x207/0x2c0 kernel/exit.c:1088 __do_sys_exit_group kernel/exit.c:1099 [inline] __se_sys_exit_group kernel/exit.c:1097 [inline] __x64_sys_exit_group+0x3f/0x40 kernel/exit.c:1097 x64_sys_call+0x2634/0x2640 arch/x86/include/generated/asm/syscalls_64.h:232 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f Modules linked in: CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 8442 Comm: syz.5.504 Not tainted 6.12.0-rc6-syzkaller #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 09/13/2024 Call Trace: __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x241/0x360 lib/dump_stack.c:120 bad_page+0x176/0x1d0 mm/page_alloc.c:501 free_page_is_bad mm/page_alloc.c:918 [inline] free_pages_prepare mm/page_alloc.c:1100 [inline] free_unref_page+0xed0/0xf20 mm/page_alloc.c:2638 kvm_destroy_vm virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:1327 [inline] kvm_put_kvm+0xc75/0x1350 virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:1386 kvm_vcpu_release+0x54/0x60 virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4143 __fput+0x23f/0x880 fs/file_table.c:431 task_work_run+0x24f/0x310 kernel/task_work.c:239 exit_task_work include/linux/task_work.h:43 [inline] do_exit+0xa2f/0x28e0 kernel/exit.c:939 do_group_exit+0x207/0x2c0 kernel/exit.c:1088 __do_sys_exit_group kernel/exit.c:1099 [in —truncated—

Weakness

The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse.

Affected Software

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Linux_kernel Linux 5.18 (including) 6.1.120 (excluding)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.2 (including) 6.6.66 (excluding)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.7 (including) 6.11.10 (excluding)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc1 (including) 6.12-rc1 (including)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc2 (including) 6.12-rc2 (including)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc3 (including) 6.12-rc3 (including)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc4 (including) 6.12-rc4 (including)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc5 (including) 6.12-rc5 (including)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc6 (including) 6.12-rc6 (including)
Linux_kernel Linux 6.12-rc7 (including) 6.12-rc7 (including)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 RedHat kernel-0:5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6 *
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 RedHat kernel-0:5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6 *
Linux Ubuntu noble *
Linux Ubuntu oracular *
Linux Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-allwinner-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-allwinner-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws Ubuntu noble *
Linux-aws Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-aws Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-aws-hwe Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-azure Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-azure-nvidia Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure-nvidia Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-bluefield Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gcp-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-gke Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gke Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gke Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gke Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/xenial *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-ibm Ubuntu noble *
Linux-ibm Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-ibm-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iotg Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-iot Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-kvm Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu noble *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lts-xenial Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-lowlatency Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia-lowlatency Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia-tegra Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oem Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oem Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.17 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-5.17 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.0 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.1 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.1 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.8 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oracle-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oracle-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu noble *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu noble *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu realtime/noble *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu noble *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu realtime/noble *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-realtime-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-realtime-6.8 Ubuntu realtime/jammy *
Linux-realtime-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu noble *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-xilinx-zynqmp Ubuntu upstream *

Potential Mitigations

  • Choose a language or tool that provides automatic memory management, or makes manual memory management less error-prone.
  • For example, glibc in Linux provides protection against free of invalid pointers.
  • When using Xcode to target OS X or iOS, enable automatic reference counting (ARC) [REF-391].
  • To help correctly and consistently manage memory when programming in C++, consider using a smart pointer class such as std::auto_ptr (defined by ISO/IEC ISO/IEC 14882:2003), std::shared_ptr and std::unique_ptr (specified by an upcoming revision of the C++ standard, informally referred to as C++ 1x), or equivalent solutions such as Boost.

References