CVE-2024-44971

Service interruption via leaked PHY device references

Published Sep 4, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leakage in Linux kernel 5.10 through 6.10.4 allows local users to interrupt service through Broadcom SF2 MDIO registration. The bcm_sf2_mdio_register() cleanup loop calls of_phy_find_device(), which increments each PHY device reference, but removes the device without a balancing put_device(). Local access and a Broadcom SF2 DSA configuration are required; accumulated references consume kernel memory without reported data access or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leakage in Linux kernel 5.10 through 6.10.4 allows local users to interrupt service through Broadcom SF2 MDIO registration. The bcm_sf2_mdio_register() cleanup loop calls of_phy_find_device(), which increments each PHY device reference, but removes the device without a balancing put_device(). Local access and a Broadcom SF2 DSA configuration are required; accumulated references consume kernel memory without reported data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-44971
Published
Sep 4, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 4, 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=5.10
  2. Affected versionversion=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <7feef10768ea71d468d9bbc1e0d14c461876768c
  3. Affected versionversion=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <a7d2808d67570e6acae45c2a96e0d59986888e4c
  4. Affected versionversion=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <b7b8d9f5e679af60c94251fd6728dde34be69a71
  5. Affected versionversion=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <c05516c072903f6fb9134b8e7e1ad4bffcdc4819
  6. Affected versionversion=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <e3862093ee93fcfbdadcb7957f5f8974fffa806a
  7. Affected versionversion=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <f3d5efe18a11f94150fee8b3fda9d62079af640a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10; version=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <7feef10768ea71d468d9bbc1e0d14c461876768c; version=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <a7d2808d67570e6acae45c2a96e0d59986888e4c; version=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <b7b8d9f5e679af60c94251fd6728dde34be69a71; version=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <c05516c072903f6fb9134b8e7e1ad4bffcdc4819; version=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <e3862093ee93fcfbdadcb7957f5f8974fffa806a; version=771089c2a485958e423f305e974303760167b45c <f3d5efe18a11f94150fee8b3fda9d62079af640a

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 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-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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