CVE-2024-38608

Kernel crash via skipped mlx5e cleanup

Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 4.12 through 6.9.2 allows local users to crash the kernel after mlx5e netdev registration fails. mlx5e_nic_enable leaves an unregistered netdev detached, while mlx5e_suspend treats it as absent and skips resource cleanup on the probe error path. Reaching this path requires local access and an mlx5 device configuration in which netdev registration fails; the bounded impact is a kernel crash and leaked resources.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
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 Linux kernel 4.12 through 6.9.2 allows local users to crash the kernel after mlx5e netdev registration fails. mlx5e_nic_enable leaves an unregistered netdev detached, while mlx5e_suspend treats it as absent and skips resource cleanup on the probe error path. Reaching this path requires local access and an mlx5 device configuration in which netdev registration fails; the bounded impact is a kernel crash and leaked resources.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-38608
Published
Jun 19, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
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=2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a <3d5918477f94e4c2f064567875c475468e264644
  2. Affected versionversion=2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a <f7e6cfb864a53af71c5cc904f1cc22215d68f5c6
  3. Affected versionversion=4.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a <3d5918477f94e4c2f064567875c475468e264644; version=2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a <f7e6cfb864a53af71c5cc904f1cc22215d68f5c6; version=4.12

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 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
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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