medium CVSS 5.5 EPSS <0.1%

CVE-2024-38603·Kernel vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drivers/perf: hisi: hns3: Actually use devm_add_action_or_reset() pci_alloc_irq_vectors() allocates an irq vector. When devm_add_action() fails, the irq vector is not freed, which leads to a memory leak. Replace the devm_add_action with devm_add_action_or_reset to ensure the irq vector can be destroyed when it fails.

Severity
medium
Software
Kernel
Fixed in
6.9.3
Published

How likely is exploitation

FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at <0.1% — higher than 10% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.

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 resolve a resource cleanup issue in the HNS3 performance monitoring driver. This vulnerability causes IRQ vectors allocated by pci_alloc_irq_vectors() to leak when device manager cleanup actions fail, potentially exhausting system resources over time. Apply the patch immediately to prevent memory exhaustion on systems using Hisilicon HNS3 network adapters.

sudo dnf check-update kernel && sudo dnf update kernel

Defensia detects this vulnerability

How to check if you are affected

  1. Step 1: Check your current kernel version with `uname -r` and compare against 6.9.3—systems running 6.9.0 through 6.9.2 are vulnerable.
  2. Step 2: Verify if HNS3 driver is loaded with `lsmod | grep hns3`—if output is empty, the vulnerable code path is not in use.
  3. Step 3: Monitor system memory usage with `free -h` and check dmesg for IRQ allocation failures using `dmesg | grep -i 'irq\|alloc'` to detect potential exploitation.
  4. Step 4: After patching, reboot and confirm the new kernel version with `uname -r`, ensuring it reports 6.9.3 or higher.

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-38603?

This is a resource leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Hisilicon HNS3 network driver. When the device manager fails to register cleanup actions for allocated IRQ vectors, those vectors are never freed, leading to memory exhaustion.

Is CVE-2024-38603 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and has no publicly available exploits. However, it can cause denial of service through resource depletion on affected hardware.

What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2024-38603?

Linux kernel versions 6.9.0, 6.9.1, and 6.9.2 are vulnerable. The fix is included in kernel 6.9.3 and all subsequent releases.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-38603?

Run `uname -r` to get your kernel version; if it shows 6.9.0 through 6.9.2, you are vulnerable. Additionally, check if HNS3 hardware is present with `lspci | grep -i hns3`.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-38603?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Linux kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-38603 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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