Linux Kernel up to 6.6.32/6.8.11/6.9.2 nl80211 array index

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.32/6.8.11/6.9.2. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component nl80211. The manipulation results in array index. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2024-38562. No exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.32/6.8.11/6.9.2. It has been classified as critical. Affected is an unknown function of the component nl80211. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a array index vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-129. The product uses untrusted input when calculating or using an array index, but the product does not validate or incorrectly validates the index to ensure the index references a valid position within the array. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: nl80211: Avoid address calculations via out of bounds array indexing Before request->channels[] can be used, request->n_channels must be set. Additionally, address calculations for memory after the "channels" array need to be calculated from the allocation base ("request") rather than via the first "out of bounds" index of "channels", otherwise run-time bounds checking will throw a warning.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2024-38562 since 06/18/2024. There are neither technical details nor an exploit publicly available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 10/04/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 207694 (RHEL 9 : kernel (RHSA-2024:6997)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.33, 6.8.12 or 6.9.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch ed74398642fc/4e2a5566462b/8fa4d56564ee/838c7b8f1f27 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 (207694) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-1418). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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

• 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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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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