CVE-2024-57989
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's MediaTek MT7925 WiFi driver. When the mt7925_change_vif_links() function fails to allocate memory, it can cause a kernel panic or system crash. This affects Linux systems using MediaTek MT7925 WiFi hardware.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with MediaTek MT7925 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 reboot.
Likely Case
System instability or crash when specific WiFi configuration changes are attempted.
If Mitigated
Minor system disruption if kernel panic handlers properly recover.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger WiFi interface configuration changes. No public exploits known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in Linux kernel stable commits: 2f709fe755c16b811ba7339ae4c3ee2c72323d3d, 5872530c2862700070223a2c2ea85642bf2f8875, 5cd0bd815c8a48862a296df9b30e0ea0da14acd3
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f709fe755c16b811ba7339ae4c3ee2c72323d3d
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable MT7925 WiFi interface
linuxPrevent use of vulnerable WiFi hardware to avoid triggering the bug
sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo modprobe -r mt7925e
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to prevent WiFi configuration changes
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic events related to WiFi operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if MT7925 WiFi hardware is present: lspci | grep -i mediatek && uname -rCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits and test WiFi interface configuration changes📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference errors in dmesg
- WiFi driver crash logs
Network Indicators:
- Sudden WiFi interface disappearance
- Unexpected network disconnections
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer" OR "kernel panic" OR "mt7925")