CVE-2024-40973

Kernel crash via unchecked firmware allocation

Published Jul 12, 2024 · Updated Aug 23, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel MediaTek video-codec code from 4.10 allows local users to crash the system during SCP initialization. mtk_vcodec_fw_scp_init dereferences the fw pointer immediately after devm_kzalloc returns it without checking for allocation failure. The path requires local low-privilege access, MediaTek SCP video-codec support, and a failed allocation; successful triggering interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.29%
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 MediaTek video-codec code from 4.10 allows local users to crash the system during SCP initialization. mtk_vcodec_fw_scp_init dereferences the fw pointer immediately after devm_kzalloc returns it without checking for allocation failure. The path requires local low-privilege access, MediaTek SCP video-codec support, and a failed allocation; successful triggering interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-40973
Published
Jul 12, 2024
Updated
Aug 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 12, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.10
  2. Affected versionversion=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <19ef02106c990bf4235365a08b9d8d2fee37272a
  3. Affected versionversion=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <3a693c7e243b932faee5c1fb728efa73f0abc39b
  4. Affected versionversion=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <53dbe08504442dc7ba4865c09b3bbf5fe849681b
  5. Affected versionversion=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <ac79a923365ae1e524398087cf16313cdbd7a144
  6. Affected versionversion=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <eeb62bb4ca22db17f7dfe8fb8472e0442df3d92f
  7. Affected versionversion=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <f066882293b5ad359e44c4ed24ab1811ffb0b354

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.10; version=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <19ef02106c990bf4235365a08b9d8d2fee37272a; version=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <3a693c7e243b932faee5c1fb728efa73f0abc39b; version=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <53dbe08504442dc7ba4865c09b3bbf5fe849681b; version=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <ac79a923365ae1e524398087cf16313cdbd7a144; version=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <eeb62bb4ca22db17f7dfe8fb8472e0442df3d92f; version=590577a4e5257ac3ed72999a94666ad6ba8f24bc <f066882293b5ad359e44c4ed24ab1811ffb0b354

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 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
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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