Kernel crash via unchecked failed PHY connection
Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the TI ICSSG Ethernet driver in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the system during device probing. prueth_probe() calls phy_attached_info() after emac_phy_connect() fails because of_phy_connect() returned NULL, dereferencing the NULL PHY pointer. Triggering the fault requires local access and compatible TI ICSSG hardware with a failed PHY connection; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the TI ICSSG Ethernet driver in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the system during device probing. prueth_probe() calls phy_attached_info() after emac_phy_connect() fails because of_phy_connect() returned NULL, dereferencing the NULL PHY pointer. Triggering the fault requires local access and compatible TI ICSSG hardware with a failed PHY connection; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-38584
- 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
- Jun 19, 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
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=128d5874c0822105ae9556d5435fb8562aff2e3b <1e1d5bd7f4682e6925dd960aba2a1aa1d93da53a
- Affected versionversion=128d5874c0822105ae9556d5435fb8562aff2e3b <5cd17f0e74cb99d209945b9f1f06d411aa667eb1
- Affected versionversion=128d5874c0822105ae9556d5435fb8562aff2e3b <b0a82ebabbdc4c307f781bb0e5cd617949a3900d
- Affected versionversion=128d5874c0822105ae9556d5435fb8562aff2e3b <b31c7e78086127a7fcaa761e8d336ee855a920c6
- Affected versionversion=6.6
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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