Local denial of service via AX.25 reference leak
Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026
Resource leak in the Linux kernel AX.25 subsystem allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through AX.25 device lifecycle operations. The ax25_addr_ax25dev() path repeatedly increments the same ax25_dev reference, while ax25_dev_device_down() can remove a device without balancing the list-held reference. Local low-privileged access to AX.25 device-management paths is required; the bounded consequence is availability loss through unreclaimed kernel memory.
Summary
What happened
Resource leak in the Linux kernel AX.25 subsystem allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through AX.25 device lifecycle operations. The ax25_addr_ax25dev() path repeatedly increments the same ax25_dev reference, while ax25_dev_device_down() can remove a device without balancing the list-held reference. Local low-privileged access to AX.25 device-management paths is required; the bounded consequence is availability loss through unreclaimed kernel memory.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-38602
- Published
- Jun 19, 2024
- Updated
- May 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 23, 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.
- Affected versionversion=4.14.277 <4.15
- Affected versionversion=418993bbaafb0cd48f904ba68eeda052d624c821
- Affected versionversion=4.19.240 <4.20
- Affected versionversion=5.10.112 <5.11
- Affected versionversion=5.15.35 <5.16
- Affected versionversion=5.17
- Affected versionversion=5.4.190 <5.5
- Affected versionversion=5ea00fc60676c0eebfa8560ec461209d638bca9d
- Affected versionversion=9af0fd5c4453a44c692be0cbb3724859b75d739b
- Affected versionversion=d01ffb9eee4af165d83b08dd73ebdf9fe94a519b <1ea02699c7557eeb35ccff2bd822de1b3e09d868
- Affected versionversion=d01ffb9eee4af165d83b08dd73ebdf9fe94a519b <38eb01edfdaa1562fa00429be2e33f45383b1b3a
- Affected versionversion=d01ffb9eee4af165d83b08dd73ebdf9fe94a519b <81d8240b0a243b3ddd8fa8aa172f1acc2f7cc8f3
- Affected versionversion=d01ffb9eee4af165d83b08dd73ebdf9fe94a519b <ae467750a3765dd1092eb29f58247950a2f9b60c
- Affected versionversion=d01ffb9eee4af165d83b08dd73ebdf9fe94a519b <b505e0319852b08a3a716b64620168eab21f4ced
- Affected versionversion=e2b558fe507a1ed4c43db2b0057fc6e41f20a14c
- Affected versionversion=ef0a2a0565727a48f2e36a2c461f8b1e3a61922d
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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