CVE-2024-43098 – A deadlock vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-43098?

CVE-2024-43098 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). A deadlock vulnerability in the Linux kernel's I3C subsystem occurs when i3c_master_register() acquires the same lock twice, potentially causing system hangs or crashes. This affects systems using I3C bus devices with Linux kernel versions containing the vulnerable code. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.

📋 TL;DR

A deadlock vulnerability in the Linux kernel's I3C subsystem occurs when i3c_master_register() acquires the same lock twice, potentially causing system hangs or crashes. This affects systems using I3C bus devices with Linux kernel versions containing the vulnerable code. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific vulnerable kernel versions not explicitly stated, but fix commits target stable branches; likely affects versions before fixes were backported.

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires I3C bus support enabled in kernel and I3C devices present; not all systems use I3C.

📦 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

System deadlock leading to kernel panic, denial of service, or system instability requiring reboot.

🟠

Likely Case

System hang or crash when I3C device registration occurs, causing temporary denial of service.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minor performance impact or no effect if I3C devices are not in use or patched.

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

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local users or processes could trigger deadlock, affecting system stability.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: NO

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM - Requires triggering specific I3C device registration sequence.

Exploitation requires local access and knowledge of I3C subsystem; deadlock is triggered during normal operations rather than malicious payload.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 1f51ae217d09c361ede900b94735a6d2df6c0344, 2d98fa2a50b8058de52ada168fa5dbabb574711b, 5ac1dd51aaa0ce8b5421d1137e857955a4b6f55e, 6cf7b65f7029914dc0cd7db86fac9ee5159008c6, 816187b1833908941286e71b0041059a4acd52ed

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f51ae217d09c361ede900b94735a6d2df6c0344

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

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

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable I3C subsystem

linux

Remove or disable I3C kernel module if not needed.

sudo modprobe -r i3c
echo 'blacklist i3c' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-i3c.conf

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Monitor system logs for deadlock warnings related to I3C.
Restrict local user access to systems with I3C devices.

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if I3C module is loaded: lsmod | grep i3c

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes fix commits or check /proc/version for patched kernel.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel logs showing 'possible recursive locking detected' or 'DEADLOCK' related to i3c_bus

Network Indicators:

None - local vulnerability only

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("recursive locking" OR "deadlock" OR "i3c")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-43098

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-667

EPSS Score: 0.04% exploit probability (9.8th percentile)

Published: January 11, 2025

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

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