CVE-2024-57881
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's memory management subsystem could cause kernel panics or system crashes when freeing memory in specific configurations. This affects Linux systems with CONFIG_SPARSEMEM enabled but CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_EXTREME disabled. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux Kernel
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or service disruption.
Likely Case
System crash or kernel panic when specific memory operations are performed, resulting in temporary denial of service.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or if the vulnerable configuration is not used.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and specific memory operations to trigger. Found via code inspection, not known to be actively exploited.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 4234ca9884bcae9e48ed38652d91696ad5cd591d or faeec8e23c10bd30e8aa759a2eb3018dae00f924
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4234ca9884bcae9e48ed38652d91696ad5cd591d
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from distribution vendor. 2. Rebuild kernel if using custom kernel with affected commits. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable configuration
linuxRecompile kernel with CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_EXTREME=y to avoid the vulnerable code path
make menuconfig
Navigate to Memory Management options
Enable CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_EXTREME
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to prevent potential triggering by malicious users
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or oops messages indicating exploitation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel config for CONFIG_SPARSEMEM=y and CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_EXTREME=n, and verify kernel version contains vulnerable codeCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits or is newer than patched versions from distribution📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference in kernel logs
- Oops messages in dmesg
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "kernel panic" OR "Oops")