Service interruption via error-pointer dereference
Published Dec 27, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to interrupt service through mlx5 steering error handling. dr_domain_add_vport_cap() returns ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM), but its caller propagates that value until dr_ste_v0_build_src_gvmi_qpn_tag() dereferences it instead of treating it as an error. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and the mlx5 Direct Rules vport-capability path to fail with ENOMEM; the published impact is limited to service availability.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to interrupt service through mlx5 steering error handling. dr_domain_add_vport_cap() returns ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM), but its caller propagates that value until dr_ste_v0_build_src_gvmi_qpn_tag() dereferences it instead of treating it as an error. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and the mlx5 Direct Rules vport-capability path to fail with ENOMEM; the published impact is limited to service availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-56660
- Published
- Dec 27, 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
- Dec 27, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=11a45def2e197532c46aa908dedd52bc1ee378a2 <11776cff0b563c8b8a4fa76cab620bfb633a8cb8
- Affected versionversion=11a45def2e197532c46aa908dedd52bc1ee378a2 <325cf73a1b449fea3158ab99d03a7a717aad1618
- Affected versionversion=11a45def2e197532c46aa908dedd52bc1ee378a2 <61f720e801443d4e2a3c0261eda4ad8431458dca
- Affected versionversion=11a45def2e197532c46aa908dedd52bc1ee378a2 <a59c61a1869ceefc65ef02886f91e8cd0062211f
- Affected versionversion=5.16
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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