Linux: NULL Pointer Dereference
CVE-2024-35919 is a high-severity NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 41671f0c0182b2bae74ca7e3b0f155559e3e2fc5, 51c84a8aac6e3b59af2b0e92ba63cabe2e641a2d, afaaf3a0f647a24a7bf6a2145d8ade37baaf75ad 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 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 41671f0c0182b2bae74ca7e3b0f155559e3e2fc5 or 51c84a8aac6e3b59af2b0e92ba63cabe2e641a2d or afaaf3a0f647a24a7bf6a2145d8ade37baaf75ad, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update linux_kernel to 41671f0c0182 or 51c84a8aac6e or afaaf3a0f647 or 6.6*, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 1972e32431ed14682909ad568c6fd660572ae6ab up to, but not including, 41671f0c0182b2bae74ca7e3b0f155559e3e2fc5; 1972e32431ed14682909ad568c6fd660572ae6ab up to, but not including, 51c84a8aac6e3b59af2b0e92ba63cabe2e641a2d; 1972e32431ed14682909ad568c6fd660572ae6ab up to, but not including, afaaf3a0f647a24a7bf6a2145d8ade37baaf75ad; 6.6 | 41671f0c0182b2bae74ca7e3b0f155559e3e2fc5, 51c84a8aac6e3b59af2b0e92ba63cabe2e641a2d, afaaf3a0f647a24a7bf6a2145d8ade37baaf75ad |
| Linux | linux_kernel | 1972e32431ed up to, but not including, 41671f0c0182; 1972e32431ed up to, but not including, 51c84a8aac6e; 1972e32431ed up to, but not including, afaaf3a0f647; 6.6; before 6.6*; 6.6.27 through 6.6*; 6.8.6 through 6.8*; 6.9 and later | 41671f0c0182, 51c84a8aac6e, afaaf3a0f647, 6.6* |
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
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.0 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: mediatek: vcodec: adding lock to protect encoder context list Add a lock for the ctx_list, to avoid accessing a NULL pointer within the 'vpu_enc_ipi_handler' function when the ctx_list has been deleted due to an unexpected behavior on the SCP IP block.
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: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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