Linux Kernel up to 6.9.2 mlx5 use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.9.2 and classified as critical. This affects an unknown function of the component mlx5. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability was named CVE-2024-38555. There is no available exploit. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.9.2. This affects an unknown part of the component mlx5. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5: Discard command completions in internal error Fix use after free when FW completion arrives while device is in internal error state. Avoid calling completion handler in this case, since the device will flush the command interface and trigger all completions manually. Kernel log: ------------[ cut here ]------------ refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. ... RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xd8/0xe0 ... Call Trace: ? __warn+0x79/0x120 ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xd8/0xe0 ? report_bug+0x17c/0x190 ? handle_bug+0x3c/0x60 ? exc_invalid_op+0x14/0x70 ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x16/0x20 ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xd8/0xe0 cmd_ent_put+0x13b/0x160 [mlx5_core] mlx5_cmd_comp_handler+0x5f9/0x670 [mlx5_core] cmd_comp_notifier+0x1f/0x30 [mlx5_core] notifier_call_chain+0x35/0xb0 atomic_notifier_call_chain+0x16/0x20 mlx5_eq_async_int+0xf6/0x290 [mlx5_core] notifier_call_chain+0x35/0xb0 atomic_notifier_call_chain+0x16/0x20 irq_int_handler+0x19/0x30 [mlx5_core] __handle_irq_event_percpu+0x4b/0x160 handle_irq_event+0x2e/0x80 handle_edge_irq+0x98/0x230 __common_interrupt+0x3b/0xa0 common_interrupt+0x7b/0xa0 asm_common_interrupt+0x22/0x40

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-38555 since 06/18/2024. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/04/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 207738 (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7009-2)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.10.219, 5.15.161, 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12 or 6.9.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch f6fbb8535e99/3cb92b0ad73d/bf8aaf0ae01c/1337ec94bc5a/1d5dce5e92a7/7ac4c69c3424/db9b31aa9bc5 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (207738) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-1418). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• IBM InfoSphere Guardium
• Oracle Linux
• Oracle VM
• IBM Security Guardium
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Broadcom Brocade SANnav
• Dell NetWorker
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell Avamar
• IBM Storage Scale
• Juniper Junos Space
• SolarWinds Security Event Manager
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.10.218
• 5.15.160
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.1.29
• 6.1.30
• 6.1.31
• 6.1.32
• 6.1.33
• 6.1.34
• 6.1.35
• 6.1.36
• 6.1.37
• 6.1.38
• 6.1.39
• 6.1.40
• 6.1.41
• 6.1.42
• 6.1.43
• 6.1.44
• 6.1.45
• 6.1.46
• 6.1.47
• 6.1.48
• 6.1.49
• 6.1.50
• 6.1.51
• 6.1.52
• 6.1.53
• 6.1.54
• 6.1.55
• 6.1.56
• 6.1.57
• 6.1.58
• 6.1.59
• 6.1.60
• 6.1.61
• 6.1.62
• 6.1.63
• 6.1.64
• 6.1.65
• 6.1.66
• 6.1.67
• 6.1.68
• 6.1.69
• 6.1.70
• 6.1.71
• 6.1.72
• 6.1.73
• 6.1.74
• 6.1.75
• 6.1.76
• 6.1.77
• 6.1.78
• 6.1.79
• 6.1.80
• 6.1.81
• 6.1.82
• 6.1.83
• 6.1.84
• 6.1.85
• 6.1.86
• 6.1.87
• 6.1.88
• 6.1.89
• 6.1.90
• 6.1.91
• 6.1.92
• 6.6.0
• 6.6.1
• 6.6.2
• 6.6.3
• 6.6.4
• 6.6.5
• 6.6.6
• 6.6.7
• 6.6.8
• 6.6.9
• 6.6.10
• 6.6.11
• 6.6.12
• 6.6.13
• 6.6.14
• 6.6.15
• 6.6.16
• 6.6.17
• 6.6.18
• 6.6.19
• 6.6.20
• 6.6.21
• 6.6.22
• 6.6.23
• 6.6.24
• 6.6.25
• 6.6.26
• 6.6.27
• 6.6.28
• 6.6.29
• 6.6.30
• 6.6.31
• 6.6.32
• 6.8.0
• 6.8.1
• 6.8.2
• 6.8.3
• 6.8.4
• 6.8.5
• 6.8.6
• 6.8.7
• 6.8.8
• 6.8.9
• 6.8.10
• 6.8.11
• 6.9.0
• 6.9.1
• 6.9.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

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CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

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