Linux: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2024-38606 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 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 e57ed345e2e6043629fc74aa5be051415dcc4f77, 9b284b915e2a5e63ca133353f8c456eff4446f82, 483fd65ce29317044d1d00757e3fd23503b6b04c 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 0.22% 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 e57ed345e2e6043629fc74aa5be051415dcc4f77 or 9b284b915e2a5e63ca133353f8c456eff4446f82 or 483fd65ce29317044d1d00757e3fd23503b6b04c, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.8.12 or 6.9.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 69e7649f7cc2aaa7889174456d39319a623c1a18 up to, but not including, e57ed345e2e6043629fc74aa5be051415dcc4f77; 69e7649f7cc2aaa7889174456d39319a623c1a18 up to, but not including, 9b284b915e2a5e63ca133353f8c456eff4446f82; 69e7649f7cc2aaa7889174456d39319a623c1a18 up to, but not including, 483fd65ce29317044d1d00757e3fd23503b6b04c; 6.8 | e57ed345e2e6043629fc74aa5be051415dcc4f77, 9b284b915e2a5e63ca133353f8c456eff4446f82, 483fd65ce29317044d1d00757e3fd23503b6b04c |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.8 up to, but not including, 6.8.12; 6.9 up to, but not including, 6.9.3 | 6.8.12, 6.9.3 |
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
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- 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:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.1 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.1 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: qat - validate slices count returned by FW The function adf_send_admin_tl_start() enables the telemetry (TL) feature on a QAT device by sending the ICP_QAT_FW_TL_START message to the firmware. This triggers the FW to start writing TL data to a DMA buffer in memory and returns an array containing the number of accelerators of each type (slices) supported by this HW. The pointer to this array is stored in the adf_tl_hw_data data structure called slice_cnt. The array slice_cnt is then used in the function tl_print_dev_data() to report in debugfs only statistics about the supported accelerators. An incorrect value of the elements in slice_cnt might lead to an out of bounds memory read. At the moment, there isn't an implementation of FW that returns a wrong value, but for robustness validate the slice count array returned by FW.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
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 Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
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