System crash via unchecked mailbox error pointer
Published Dec 28, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Improper error handling in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to crash the system through an OcteonTX2 mailbox failure. The otx2_get_max_mtu function treats an error pointer from otx2_mbox_get_rsp as a nix_hw_info response and dereferences its fields. The path requires local low-privileged access and an OcteonTX2 NIC configuration; the reported consequence is a kernel crash without data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
Improper error handling in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to crash the system through an OcteonTX2 mailbox failure. The otx2_get_max_mtu function treats an error pointer from otx2_mbox_get_rsp as a nix_hw_info response and dereferences its fields. The path requires local low-privileged access and an OcteonTX2 NIC configuration; the reported consequence is a kernel crash without data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-56679
- Published
- Dec 28, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 28, 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=5.12
- Affected versionversion=ab58a416c93f134b72ec7e10d8d74509c3985243 <0fbc7a5027c6f7f2c785adae3dcec22b2f2b69b3
- Affected versionversion=ab58a416c93f134b72ec7e10d8d74509c3985243 <4b88b202cf1ae79159a94fff9500f9be31559235
- Affected versionversion=ab58a416c93f134b72ec7e10d8d74509c3985243 <52c63a6a27d3178fab533fcfb4baa2ed5b8608a3
- Affected versionversion=ab58a416c93f134b72ec7e10d8d74509c3985243 <785c6758ea32aca73ba9331f7d902f7ce9a25757
- Affected versionversion=ab58a416c93f134b72ec7e10d8d74509c3985243 <9265b6ee754226f61bd122ec57141a781d4e0dcb
- Affected versionversion=ab58a416c93f134b72ec7e10d8d74509c3985243 <d4d5139d280f5837f16d116614c05c2b4eeaf28f
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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