Kernel crash via recursive serial-console spinlock
Published May 1, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Improper locking in the Linux pmac_zilog serial driver allows local users to crash the kernel or disable serial reception. Error logging in pmz_receive_chars calls pmz_console_write while pmz_interrupt already holds the uart_port spinlock, causing recursive locking. The path requires pmac_zilog to serve as the serial console; CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK makes the recursion fatal, while other configurations lose receive service.
Summary
What happened
Improper locking in the Linux pmac_zilog serial driver allows local users to crash the kernel or disable serial reception. Error logging in pmz_receive_chars calls pmz_console_write while pmz_interrupt already holds the uart_port spinlock, causing recursive locking. The path requires pmac_zilog to serve as the serial console; CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK makes the recursion fatal, while other configurations lose receive service.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26999
- Published
- May 1, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-667, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 1, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1be3226445362bfbf461c92a5bcdb1723f2e4907
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <52aaf1ff14622a04148dbb9ccce6d9de5d534ea7
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <69a02273e288011b521ee7c1f3ab2c23fda633ce
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7a3bbe41efa55323b6ea3c35fa15941d4dbecdef
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ab86cf6f8d24e63e9aca23da5108af1aa5483928
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bbaafbb4651fede8d3c3881601ecaa4f834f9d3f
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ca09dfc3cfdf89e6af3ac24e1c6c0be5c575a729
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d679c816929d62af51c8e6d7fc0e165c9412d2f3
- Affected versionversion=2.6.12
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo