CVE-2024-40929 – This CVE describes an out-of-bounds read vulner... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-40929?

CVE-2024-40929 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). This CVE describes an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the iwlwifi driver in the Linux kernel. Attackers could potentially read kernel memory contents, leading to information disclosure or system crashes. This affects Linux systems using Intel wireless hardware with vulnerable kernel versions.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE describes an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the iwlwifi driver in the Linux kernel. Attackers could potentially read kernel memory contents, leading to information disclosure or system crashes. This affects Linux systems using Intel wireless hardware with vulnerable kernel versions.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel iwlwifi driver

Versions: Specific kernel versions with vulnerable iwlwifi commits

Operating Systems: Linux distributions with vulnerable kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires Intel wireless hardware and vulnerable kernel version

📦 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 →

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 memory disclosure leading to privilege escalation or system crash/DoS

🟠

Likely Case

System crash/DoS or information leakage from kernel memory

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if patched or wireless interface disabled

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or wireless proximity

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers could exploit this on affected systems

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access or wireless proximity; exploitation details not publicly available

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions with fixes from git commits listed in references

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/29a18d56bd64b95bd10bda4afda512558471382a

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to patched version 2. Reboot system 3. Verify iwlwifi module loads correctly

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable wireless interface

linux

Temporarily disable the wireless interface to prevent exploitation

sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo rfkill block wifi

Blacklist iwlwifi module

linux

Prevent iwlwifi module from loading at boot

echo 'blacklist iwlwifi' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-iwlwifi.conf
sudo update-initramfs -u

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Disable wireless functionality entirely
Use wired network connections only

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and iwlwifi module version: uname -r && modinfo iwlwifi | grep version

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated and iwlwifi module loads without errors in dmesg

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panics
iwlwifi driver crashes in dmesg
Out-of-bounds access warnings

Network Indicators:

Unexpected wireless disconnections
Abnormal wireless scanning behavior

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("iwlwifi" OR "out of bounds" OR "OOB")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-40929

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: July 12, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

📄 Export Markdown 📋 Export JSON

🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

If you're affected by CVE-2024-40929, you might also want to check these: