CVE-2024-38543

Kernel crash via unchecked page-frame allocation

Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the kernel via memory exhaustion during HMM device eviction. The dmirror_device_evict_chunk() function dereferences src_pfns or dst_pfns after kcalloc() returns NULL when physical memory is exhausted. Reachability requires the HMM test-device eviction path and sufficient memory pressure; the resulting kernel fault interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the kernel via memory exhaustion during HMM device eviction. The dmirror_device_evict_chunk() function dereferences src_pfns or dst_pfns after kcalloc() returns NULL when physical memory is exhausted. Reachability requires the HMM test-device eviction path and sufficient memory pressure; the resulting kernel fault interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-38543
Published
Jun 19, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.8
  2. Affected versionversion=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <1a21fdeea502658e315bd939409b755974f4fb64
  3. Affected versionversion=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <3b20d18f475bd17309db640dbe7d7c7ebb5bc2bc
  4. Affected versionversion=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <65e528a69cb3ed4a286c45b4afba57461c8b5b33
  5. Affected versionversion=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <c2af060d1c18beaec56351cf9c9bcbbc5af341a3
  6. Affected versionversion=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <ce47e8ead9a72834cc68431d53f8092ce69bebb7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.8; version=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <1a21fdeea502658e315bd939409b755974f4fb64; version=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <3b20d18f475bd17309db640dbe7d7c7ebb5bc2bc; version=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <65e528a69cb3ed4a286c45b4afba57461c8b5b33; version=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <c2af060d1c18beaec56351cf9c9bcbbc5af341a3; version=b2ef9f5a5cb37643ca5def3516c546457074b882 <ce47e8ead9a72834cc68431d53f8092ce69bebb7

Published CVSS scores

5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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

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Your stack

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