CVE-2024-35960 – A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-35960?

CVE-2024-35960 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (CRITICAL). A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mlx5 network driver allows local attackers to cause a kernel crash (denial of service) or potentially execute arbitrary code. This affects systems using Mellanox network adapters with the affected driver. Attackers need local access to exploit this vulnerability.

📋 TL;DR

A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mlx5 network driver allows local attackers to cause a kernel crash (denial of service) or potentially execute arbitrary code. This affects systems using Mellanox network adapters with the affected driver. Attackers need local access to exploit this vulnerability.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel mlx5 network driver

Versions: Linux kernel versions before the fix commits (specific versions vary by distribution)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ✅ No

Notes: Only affects systems with Mellanox network adapters using the mlx5 driver. Requires specific network configuration to trigger.

📦 What is this software?

Debian Linux by Debian

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Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

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Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

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Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

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Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, with potential for local privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.

🟠

Likely Case

System crash and denial of service when specific network operations are performed on affected Mellanox hardware.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if patched or if system doesn't use affected Mellanox network hardware/driver.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access to exploit, not remotely exploitable.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers or malicious users could crash systems, but requires specific hardware/driver configuration.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires local access and specific network operations. The bug was discovered in production environments.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 1263b0b26077b1183c3c45a0a2479573a351d423 or later

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1263b0b26077b1183c3c45a0a2479573a351d423

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix. 2. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable mlx5 driver

linux

Temporarily disable the affected network driver if not required

modprobe -r mlx5_core
echo 'blacklist mlx5_core' > /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-mlx5.conf

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access to systems with Mellanox hardware
Monitor for kernel panic/crash events and investigate root causes

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if mlx5 driver is loaded: 'uname -r' and 'lsmod | grep mlx5'

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated and check dmesg for mlx5 driver loading without errors

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages
NULL pointer dereference in mlx5 driver logs
System crash/reboot events

Network Indicators:

Sudden loss of network connectivity on Mellanox interfaces

SIEM Query:

event_type:kernel_panic AND driver:mlx5 OR event_type:system_crash AND interface:mlx5

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-35960

CVSS v3 Score: 9.1 (CRITICAL)

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

CWE: CWE-476

Published: May 20, 2024

Last Updated: April 4, 2025

🔗 References

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