CVE-2024-38635 – A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux ... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-38635?

CVE-2024-38635 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux kernel's SoundWire Cadence driver allows out-of-bounds memory access due to incorrect PDI offset calculation. This affects Linux systems using SoundWire audio interfaces. Attackers could potentially exploit this to crash the kernel or execute arbitrary code.

📋 TL;DR

A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux kernel's SoundWire Cadence driver allows out-of-bounds memory access due to incorrect PDI offset calculation. This affects Linux systems using SoundWire audio interfaces. Attackers could potentially exploit this to crash the kernel or execute arbitrary code.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific affected versions not specified in CVE, but includes versions with vulnerable SoundWire Cadence driver code prior to fixes.

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only affects systems using SoundWire audio interfaces. The vulnerability was present but not triggered in most configurations due to limited PDI usage.

📦 What is this software?

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, system crash, or potential arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges leading to complete system compromise.

🟠

Likely Case

System instability, kernel crashes, or denial of service affecting audio functionality.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact if SoundWire interfaces are not in use or if proper kernel hardening measures are implemented.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or ability to interact with kernel drivers.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers or malicious processes could potentially exploit this vulnerability.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires local access and ability to interact with the SoundWire driver. No known active exploitation reported.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits: 002364b2d594a9afc0385c09e00994c510b1d089, 2ebcaa0e5db9b6044bb487ae1cf41bc601761567, 4e99103f757cdf636c6ee860994a19a346a11785, 7eeef1e935d23db5265233d92395bd5c648a4021, 8ee1b439b1540ae543149b15a2a61b9dff937d91

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

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Check distribution-specific security advisories. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable SoundWire module

linux

Prevent loading of the vulnerable SoundWire Cadence driver

echo 'blacklist soundwire_cadence' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod soundwire_cadence

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict access controls to limit who can interact with audio devices
Enable kernel hardening features like SELinux/AppArmor to restrict driver access

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and verify if SoundWire Cadence driver is loaded: lsmod | grep soundwire_cadence

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or check that soundwire_cadence module version matches patched release

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages
Ooops messages related to soundwire
System crashes during audio operations

Network Indicators:

None - local vulnerability only

SIEM Query:

kernel:panic OR kernel:oops AND soundwire

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-38635

CVSS v3 Score: 7.1 (HIGH)

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

CWE: CWE-125

Published: June 21, 2024

Last Updated: September 17, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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