CVE-2024-56536
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the cw1200 WiFi driver in the Linux kernel. If exploited, it could cause a kernel panic leading to denial of service. Systems using the cw1200 WiFi driver are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with cw1200 WiFi driver
📦 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 requiring physical access to restart the system.
Likely Case
System crash or instability requiring reboot, causing temporary service disruption.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if system has proper monitoring and automated recovery mechanisms.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access or ability to interact with the cw1200 driver. Static analysis identified the issue, suggesting it may be discovered during code review.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel branches (commits: 0ec90ac5f7bd9dd573bd5d964cbdc3beaa93a33e, 2b94751626a6d49bbe42a19cc1503bd391016bd5, 67c914f2d64b28409796a6b9036c131e93f8af6c)
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ec90ac5f7bd9dd573bd5d964cbdc3beaa93a33e
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable cw1200 driver
linuxRemove or blacklist the cw1200 WiFi driver if not needed
echo 'blacklist cw1200' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-cw1200.conf
rmmod cw1200
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable or remove cw1200 WiFi driver if not required for system functionality
- Implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized local users from interacting with WiFi drivers
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if cw1200 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep cw1200. Check kernel version against patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or is newer than patched versions. Confirm cw1200 driver loads without issues.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages in /var/log/kern.log or dmesg
- NULL pointer dereference errors related to cw1200
Network Indicators:
- Sudden loss of WiFi connectivity on affected systems
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "kernel panic") AND "cw1200"