NULL pointer dereference in Linux

CVE-2024-38633

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: serial: max3100: Update uart_driver_registered on driver removal The removal of the last MAX3100 device triggers the removal of the driver. However, code doesn't update the respective global variable and after insmod — rmmod — insmod cycle the kernel oopses: max3100 spi-PRP0001:01: max3100_probe: adding port 0 BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000408 ... RIP: 0010:serial_core_register_port+0xa0/0x840 ... max3100_probe+0x1b6/0x280 [max3100] spi_probe+0x8d/0xb0 Update the actual state so next time UART driver will be registered again. Hugo also noticed, that the error path in the probe also affected by having the variable set, and not cleared. Instead of clearing it move the assignment after the successfull uart_register_driver() call.

Published · last modified .

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 5.5 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.002 (14.2th percentile), scored .

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 14th percentile — 14.2% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS trend (30 days)EPSS over the last 30 days for CVE-2024-38633: held from 0.002 to 0.002.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.002 · newest: 0.002 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-38633?
CVE-2024-38633 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux, classified under NULL Pointer Dereference. CVSS score: 5.5/10. Published 2024-06-21.
How severe is CVE-2024-38633?
Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 5.5 out of 10.