critical CVSS 9.8

CVE-2024-38541·Kernel vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: of: module: add buffer overflow check in of_modalias() In of_modalias(), if the buffer happens to be too small even for the 1st snprintf() call, the len parameter will become negative and str parameter (if not NULL initially) will point beyond the buffer's end. Add the buffer overflow check after the 1st snprintf() call and fix such check after the strlen() call (accounting for the terminating NUL char).

Severity
critical
Software
Kernel
Fixed in
6.9.3
Published
2024-06-19

Affected versions

From: 6.9

Until: 6.9.3

Fixed in: 6.9.3

How to fix this CVE

Update your Linux kernel to version 6.9.3 or later to patch a critical buffer overflow vulnerability in the device tree modalias function. Systems running kernel versions 6.9 through 6.9.2 should prioritize this update immediately, as the flaw can lead to memory corruption and potential privilege escalation. Apply the patch through your distribution's standard kernel update mechanism.

sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel

Defensia detects this vulnerability

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check your kernel version: uname -r — vulnerable versions are 6.9.0, 6.9.1, and 6.9.2
  2. Verify the of_modalias function is compiled in your kernel: grep -i modalias /boot/config-$(uname -r) — look for CONFIG_OF_DYNAMIC=y
  3. Monitor kernel logs for memory errors: dmesg | grep -i 'buffer\|overflow\|fault' — exploitation may cause kernel panic or warning messages
  4. Confirm patch application after update: uname -r should show 6.9.3 or later

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-38541?

This is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the Linux kernel's device tree handling code. When the of_modalias() function receives a buffer that is too small, it can write beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially leading to kernel memory corruption and privilege escalation attacks.

Is CVE-2024-38541 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not currently listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and no public exploits have been disclosed, though the critical CVSS score of 9.8 warrants immediate patching.

What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2024-38541?

Linux kernel versions 6.9.0 through 6.9.2 are affected. Version 6.9.3 and later include the fix. Earlier kernel branches (6.8 and below) are not impacted.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-38541?

Run `uname -r` and check if the output shows 6.9.0, 6.9.1, or 6.9.2. If your kernel version is 6.9.3 or higher, or uses a different major version series, you are not vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-38541?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-38541 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

Related Kernel CVEs

CVE-2026-64439CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: krb5 - filter out async aead implementations at alloc krb5_aead_encrypt(), krb5_aead_decrypt() in rfc3961_simplified.c and rfc8009_encrypt(), rfc8009_decrypt() in rfc8009_aes2.c set a NULL completion callback and treat any negative return from crypto_aead_{encrypt,decrypt}() as terminal, falling through to kfree_sensitive(buffer). When the encrypt_name resolves to an async AEAD instance the request returns -EINPROGRESS, the buffer is freed while the backend's worker still holds a pointer, and the worker dereferences the freed slab on completion. KASAN report under UML+SLUB with a synthetic async aead backend bound to krb5->encrypt_name: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in t5_stub_complete+0x7d/0xc7 The helpers were written synchronously, so filter the async instances out at allocation time instead of plumbing crypto_wait_req() through every call site. Reachable via net/rxrpc/rxgk.c, fs/afs/cm_security.c and net/ceph/crypto.c on systems with an async AEAD provider bound to the krb5 enctype name.
CVE-2026-100075CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/srpt: Fix srpt_alloc_rw_ctxs() unwind counters When srpt_alloc_rw_ctxs() fails partway through a multi-buffer indirect descriptor, the unwind path destroys RDMA contexts but leaves stale n_rw_ctx and n_rdma values (and a dangling rw_ctxs pointer). Later sq_wr_avail accounting in srpt_queue_response() or srpt_write_pending() can then subtract the wrong number of send queue credits. Reset the counters and clear rw_ctxs after freeing the heap allocation before returning an error.
CVE-2026-64383CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix double-free in SMB2_flush() replay SMB2_flush() keeps its response buffer bookkeeping across replay attempts. If a replayable flush response is received and the retry then fails before cifs_send_recv() stores a replacement response, flush_exit will free the stale response pointer a second time. Reinitialize resp_buftype and rsp_iov at the top of the replay loop so cleanup only acts on response state produced by the current attempt. This fixes a double-free without changing replay handling for successful requests.
CVE-2026-64385CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix double-free in SMB2_ioctl() replay A response-bearing attempt can return a replayable error and free its response buffer. If SMB2_ioctl_init() fails before the next send, cleanup retains the previous buffer type and frees that response again. Reset response bookkeeping before each attempt to prevent the stale free.
CVE-2026-64384CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix change notify replay double-free A response-bearing attempt can return a replayable error and free its response buffer. If SMB2_notify_init() fails before the next send, cleanup retains the previous buffer type and frees that response again. Reset response bookkeeping before each attempt to prevent the stale free.

References

Track CVEs across your fleet automatically

Defensia scans your Linux servers and tells you exactly which ones are running vulnerable versions — including CVE-2024-38541. Free for 1 server.

Get started free