CVE-2024-26945·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: iaa - Fix nr_cpus < nr_iaa case If nr_cpus < nr_iaa, the calculated cpus_per_iaa will be 0, which causes a divide-by-0 in rebalance_wq_table(). Make sure cpus_per_iaa is 1 in that case, and also in the nr_iaa == 0 case, even though cpus_per_iaa is never used if nr_iaa == 0, for paranoia.
- Severity
- high
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 6.8.3
- Published
- 2024-05-01
Affected versions
Until: 6.8.3
Fixed in: 6.8.3
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 6.8.3 or later to resolve this critical arithmetic error in the IAA crypto driver. The vulnerability causes a divide-by-zero crash when CPU count is less than IAA device count, potentially leading to kernel panic and system unavailability. Apply the kernel update through your distribution's package manager and reboot to activate the patched version.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel && sudo rebootDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check installed kernel version: uname -r (compare against 6.8.3; vulnerable if below this version)
- Verify IAA crypto driver is enabled: grep -i iaa /boot/config-$(uname -r) or cat /proc/config.gz | zcat | grep -i iaa
- Check system logs for divide-by-zero panics: sudo journalctl -b -p err | grep -i 'divide\|iaa\|rebalance_wq'
- Confirm patch applied by checking kernel build info: dmesg | grep -i 'Linux version' and verify version is 6.8.3 or higher
FAQ
What is CVE-2024-26945?
CVE-2024-26945 is a divide-by-zero vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IAA (Intel Analytics Accelerator) crypto driver that occurs when the number of CPUs is less than the number of IAA devices, causing improper workqueue table rebalancing and potential kernel panic.
Is CVE-2024-26945 being actively exploited?
No, CVE-2024-26945 is not listed as actively exploited in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and no public exploits are available.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2024-26945?
All Linux kernel versions prior to 6.8.3 are vulnerable. The vulnerability impacts systems where the IAA crypto driver is enabled and CPU-to-device ratios trigger the edge case.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-26945?
Run 'uname -r' and verify your kernel version is at least 6.8.3; also check if IAA driver is active with 'grep -i iaa /boot/config-$(uname -r)' or lsmod to confirm the module is loaded.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-26945?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-26945 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
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