CVE-2024-46761: linux kernel Null Dereference — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pci/hotplug/pnv_php: Fix hotplug driver crash on Powernv The hotplug driver for powerpc (pci/hotplug/pnv_php.c) causes a kernel crash when we try to hot-unplug/disable the PCIe switch/bridge from the PHB. The crash occurs because although the MSI data structure has been released during disable/hot-unplug path and it has been assigned with NULL, still during unregistration the code was again trying to explicitly disable the MSI which causes the NULL pointer dereference and kernel crash. The patch fixes the check during unregistration path to prevent invoking pci_disable_msi/msix() since its data structure is already freed.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-476 CWE-476

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	< 4.19.322
linux	linux_kernel	4.20 — 5.4.284
linux	linux_kernel	5.5 — 5.10.226
linux	linux_kernel	5.11 — 5.15.167
linux	linux_kernel	5.16 — 6.1.110
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.6.51
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.10.10

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/335e35b748527f0c06ded9eebb65387f60647fda https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/438d522227374042b5c8798f8ce83bbe479dca4d https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4eb4085c1346d19d4a05c55246eb93e74e671048 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b82d4d5c736f4fd2ed224c35f554f50d1953d21e https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc1faed19db95abf0933b104910a3fb01b138f59 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bfc44075b19740d372f989f21dd03168bfda0689 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0d8094dc740cfacf3775bbc6a1c4720459e8de4 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c4c681999d385e28f84808bbf3a85ea8e982da55

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-46761? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pci/hotplug/pnv_php: Fix hotplug driver crash on Powernv The hotplug driver for powerpc (pci/hotplug/pnv_php.c) causes a kernel crash when we try to hot-unplug/disable the PCIe switch/bridge from the PHB. The crash occurs because although the MSI data structure has been released during disable/hot-unplug path and it has been assigned with NULL, still during unregistration the code was again trying to explicitly disable the MSI which causes the NULL pointer dereference and kernel crash. The patch fixes the check during unregistration path to prevent invoking pci_disable_msi/msix() since its data structure is already freed. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2024-46761? +

CVE-2024-46761 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-46761? +

CVE-2024-46761 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2024-46761? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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CVE-2024-46761