CVE-2024-50000 – A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-50000?

CVE-2024-50000 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mlx5e_tir_builder_alloc() function could cause kernel crashes or denial of service. This affects systems using Mellanox network adapters with the mlx5 driver. Attackers with local access could potentially trigger this to disrupt network functionality.

📋 TL;DR

A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mlx5e_tir_builder_alloc() function could cause kernel crashes or denial of service. This affects systems using Mellanox network adapters with the mlx5 driver. Attackers with local access could potentially trigger this to disrupt network functionality.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel with mlx5 Ethernet driver

Versions: Specific kernel versions containing the vulnerable code (check git commits for exact ranges)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only affects systems with Mellanox network adapters using the mlx5 driver. Requires the mlx5_core module to be loaded.

📦 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...

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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 →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially requiring physical reboot.

🟠

Likely Case

Local denial of service affecting network connectivity for the affected interface.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minimal impact with proper access controls preventing local users from triggering the vulnerability.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access to trigger, not directly exploitable over network.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local users or processes could trigger denial of service affecting network operations.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access and ability to trigger specific mlx5 driver operations. No public exploit code identified.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing fixes from the provided git commits

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0168ab6fbd9e50d20b97486168b604b2ab28a2ca

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

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

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Unload mlx5_core module

linux

Temporarily disable the vulnerable driver if Mellanox networking is not required

sudo modprobe -r mlx5_core

Restrict local access

all

Limit local user access to prevent potential exploitation

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Restrict local user access to prevent unauthorized users from triggering the vulnerability
Monitor system logs for kernel panic or oops messages related to mlx5 driver

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check if mlx5_core module is loaded: lsmod | grep mlx5_core. If loaded and kernel version is vulnerable, system is at risk.

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Check kernel version after update matches patched version. Verify mlx5_core module loads without issues.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel oops messages
System crash/panic logs
mlx5 driver error messages in dmesg

Network Indicators:

Sudden loss of network connectivity on Mellanox interfaces

SIEM Query:

search 'kernel: BUG:' OR 'kernel: Oops:' OR 'mlx5_core' in system logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-50000

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: October 21, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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