Linux: NULL Pointer Dereference
CVE-2024-26854 is a high-severity NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions db29ceff3e25c48907016da456a7cbee6310fd83, 9224fc86f1776193650a33a275cac628952f80a9 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.71% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 54% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to db29ceff3e25c48907016da456a7cbee6310fd83 or 9224fc86f1776193650a33a275cac628952f80a9, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | d7999f5ea64bb10d2857b8cbfe973be373bac7c9 up to, but not including, db29ceff3e25c48907016da456a7cbee6310fd83; d7999f5ea64bb10d2857b8cbfe973be373bac7c9 up to, but not including, 9224fc86f1776193650a33a275cac628952f80a9; 6.7 | db29ceff3e25c48907016da456a7cbee6310fd83, 9224fc86f1776193650a33a275cac628952f80a9 |
| Linux | linux_kernel | d7999f5ea64b; 6.7 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ice: fix uninitialized dplls mutex usage The pf->dplls.lock mutex is initialized too late, after its first use. Move it to the top of ice_dpll_init. Note that the "err_exit" error path destroys the mutex. And the mutex is the last thing destroyed in ice_dpll_deinit. This fixes the following warning with CONFIG_DEBUG_MUTEXES: ice 0000:10:00.0: The DDP package was successfully loaded: ICE OS Default Package version 1.3.36.0 ice 0000:10:00.0: 252.048 Gb/s available PCIe bandwidth (16.0 GT/s PCIe x16 link) ice 0000:10:00.0: PTP init successful ------------[ cut here ]------------ DEBUG_LOCKS_WARN_ON(lock->magic != lock) WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 410 at kernel/locking/mutex.c:587 __mutex_lock+0x773/0xd40 Modules linked in: crct10dif_pclmul crc32_pclmul crc32c_intel polyval_clmulni polyval_generic ice(+) nvme nvme_c> CPU: 0 PID: 410 Comm: kworker/0:4 Not tainted 6.8.0-rc5+ #3 Hardware name: HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen10 Plus/ProLiant DL110 Gen10 Plus, BIOS U56 10/19/2023 Workqueue: events work_for_cpu_fn RIP: 0010:__mutex_lock+0x773/0xd40 Code: c0 0f 84 1d f9 ff ff 44 8b 35 0d 9c 69 01 45 85 f6 0f 85 0d f9 ff ff 48 c7 c6 12 a2 a9 85 48 c7 c7 12 f1 a> RSP: 0018:ff7eb1a3417a7ae0 EFLAGS: 00010286 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000002 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000002 RSI: ffffffff85ac2bff RDI: 00000000ffffffff RBP: ff7eb1a3417a7b80 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 00000000ffffbfff R10: ff7eb1a3417a7978 R11: ff32b80f7fd2e568 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: ff32b7f02c50e0d8 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ff32b80efe800000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 000055b5852cc000 CR3: 000000003c43a004 CR4: 0000000000771ef0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 PKRU: 55555554 Call Trace: <TASK> ? __warn+0x84/0x170 ? __mutex_lock+0x773/0xd40 ? report_bug+0x1c7/0x1d0 ? prb_read_valid+0x1b/0x30 ? handle_bug+0x42/0x70 ? exc_invalid_op+0x18/0x70 ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x1a/0x20 ? __mutex_lock+0x773/0xd40 ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0x50 ? __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x346/0x490 ? ice_dpll_lock_status_get+0x28/0x50 [ice] ? __pfx_ice_dpll_lock_status_get+0x10/0x10 [ice] ? ice_dpll_lock_status_get+0x28/0x50 [ice] ice_dpll_lock_status_get+0x28/0x50 [ice] dpll_device_get_one+0x14f/0x2e0 dpll_device_event_send+0x7d/0x150 dpll_device_register+0x124/0x180 ice_dpll_init_dpll+0x7b/0xd0 [ice] ice_dpll_init+0x224/0xa40 [ice] ? _dev_info+0x70/0x90 ice_load+0x468/0x690 [ice] ice_probe+0x75b/0xa10 [ice] ? _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x4f/0x80 ? process_one_work+0x1a3/0x500 local_pci_probe+0x47/0xa0 work_for_cpu_fn+0x17/0x30 process_one_work+0x20d/0x500 worker_thread+0x1df/0x3e0 ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10 kthread+0x103/0x140 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork+0x31/0x50 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30 </TASK> irq event stamp: 125197 hardirqs last enabled at (125197): [<ffffffff8416409d>] finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x12d/0x3d0 hardirqs last disabled at (125196): [<ffffffff85134044>] __schedule+0xea4/0x19f0 softirqs last enabled at (105334): [<ffffffff84e1e65a>] napi_get_frags_check+0x1a/0x60 softirqs last disabled at (105332): [<ffffffff84e1e65a>] napi_get_frags_check+0x1a/0x60 ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: NULL Pointer Dereference
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any pointers that could have been modified or provided from a function that can return NULL, check the pointer for NULL before use. When working with a multithreaded or otherwise asynchronous environment, ensure that proper locking APIs are used to lock before the check, and unlock when it has finished.
- Select a programming language that is not susceptible to these issues.
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is non-null before acting upon it.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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