CVE-2024-41098 – A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-41098?

CVE-2024-41098 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's libata-core component can cause kernel crashes when ata_port_alloc() fails during ata_host_alloc(). This affects systems using ATA/SATA storage controllers and can lead to denial of service. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.

📋 TL;DR

A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's libata-core component can cause kernel crashes when ata_port_alloc() fails during ata_host_alloc(). This affects systems using ATA/SATA storage controllers and can lead to denial of service. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Linux kernel versions containing the vulnerable libata-core code (specific versions not specified in CVE, but appears to affect 6.10.0-rc5 and potentially earlier versions)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only affects systems using ATA/SATA storage controllers where the ata_port_alloc() function can fail during device initialization.

📦 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 →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or corruption if storage operations are interrupted.

🟠

Likely Case

System crash or kernel panic when specific error conditions occur during ATA device initialization, requiring reboot to restore functionality.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if the vulnerable code path is not triggered or if the system has been patched.

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

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local users or processes with sufficient privileges could trigger the crash, affecting system availability.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: NO

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM - Requires triggering specific error conditions during ATA device initialization

Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger the specific error path in ata_host_alloc().

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Patched in kernel commits referenced in CVE (0f0d37c154bb108730c90a91aa31e3170e827962 and others)

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0f0d37c154bb108730c90a91aa31e3170e827962

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix. 2. Check with your distribution for specific kernel updates. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable vulnerable ATA controllers

linux

If specific ATA controllers are causing issues, they can be blacklisted or disabled

echo 'blacklist ahci' > /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ahci.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access to prevent triggering the vulnerability
Monitor system logs for ATA initialization errors and kernel panics

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if system uses ATA/SATA controllers. Vulnerable if using affected kernel version and experiencing ATA device initialization issues.

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Check kernel version after update and verify system no longer crashes during ATA device initialization scenarios.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages mentioning 'ata_host_release'
Null pointer dereference errors in kernel logs
ATA/SATA device initialization failures

Network Indicators:

None - local vulnerability only

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("ata_host_release" OR "null pointer dereference" OR "BUG: unable to handle page fault")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-41098

CVSS v3 Score: 5.5 (MEDIUM)

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

CWE: CWE-476

Published: July 29, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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