Kernel crash via NULL profile cleanup
Published Nov 7, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the mlx5e driver in Linux 5.12 through 6.11.5 and 6.12-rc1 through 6.12-rc3 allows local users to crash the kernel. After mlx5e_netdev_change_profile fails to initialize a new profile and restore the original, it leaves the profile pointer NULL; _mlx5e_remove later dereferences profile->cleanup during driver unloading. Reachability requires local access able to interrupt workqueue rescuer creation during a profile change and later unload the mlx5e driver; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the mlx5e driver in Linux 5.12 through 6.11.5 and 6.12-rc1 through 6.12-rc3 allows local users to crash the kernel. After mlx5e_netdev_change_profile fails to initialize a new profile and restore the original, it leaves the profile pointer NULL; _mlx5e_remove later dereferences profile->cleanup during driver unloading. Reachability requires local access able to interrupt workqueue rescuer creation during a profile change and later unload the mlx5e driver; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-50146
- Published
- Nov 7, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 7, 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=3ef14e463f6ed0218710f56b97e1a7d0448784d2 <3955b77494c3c7d14873b1db67e7e00c46a714db
- Affected versionversion=3ef14e463f6ed0218710f56b97e1a7d0448784d2 <4dbc1d1a9f39c3711ad2a40addca04d07d9ab5d0
- Affected versionversion=3ef14e463f6ed0218710f56b97e1a7d0448784d2 <d6fe973c8873c998734a050f366b28facc03d32a
- Affected versionversion=3ef14e463f6ed0218710f56b97e1a7d0448784d2 <db84cb4c8c565e6d4de84b23c2818b63991adfdd
- Affected versionversion=5.12
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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