ax25: Fix reference count leak issues of ax25_dev
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ax25: Fix reference count leak issues of ax25_dev The ax25_addr_ax25dev() and ax25_dev_device_down() exist a reference count leak issue of the object "ax25_dev". Memory leak issue in ax25_addr_ax25dev(): The reference count of the object "ax25_dev" can be increased multiple times in ax25_addr_ax25dev(). This will cause a memory leak. Memory leak issues in ax25_dev_device_down(): The reference count of ax25_dev is set to 1 in ax25_dev_device_up() and then increase the reference count when ax25_dev is added to ax25_dev_list. As a result, the reference count of ax25_dev is 2. But when the device is shutting down. The ax25_dev_device_down() drops the reference count once or twice depending on if we goto unlock_put or not, which will cause memory leak. As for the issue of ax25_addr_ax25dev(), it is impossible for one pointer to be on a list twice. So add a break in ax25_addr_ax25dev(). As for the issue of ax25_dev_device_down(), increase the reference count of ax25_dev once in ax25_dev_device_up() and decrease the reference count of ax25_dev after it is removed from the ax25_dev_list.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.14.277 to before 4.15; 4.19.240 to before 4.20; 5.4.190 to before 5.5; 5.10.112 to before 5.11; 5.15.35 to before 5.16 | 4.15, 4.20, 5.5, 5.11, 5.16 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 5.17 and later | 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9.3, 6.10 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.14.277 to before 4.15; 4.19.240 to before 4.20; 5.4.190 to before 5.5; 5.10.112 to before 5.11; 5.15.35 to before 5.16 Fixed in 4.15, 4.20, 5.5, 5.11, 5.16 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.17 and later Fixed in 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9.3, 6.10 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.17 to before 6.1.93; 6.2 to before 6.6.33; 6.7 to before 6.8.12; 6.9 to before 6.9.3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.17 to before 6.1.93; 6.2 to before 6.6.33; 6.7 to before 6.8.12; 6.9 to before 6.9.3 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.15, 4.20, 5.5, 5.11, 5.16
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.93, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9.3, 6.10
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-38602
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7vxw-8c3h-6mgh
References
Patch 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ae467750a3765dd1092eb29f58247950a2f9b60c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/38eb01edfdaa1562fa00429be2e33f45383b1b3a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81d8240b0a243b3ddd8fa8aa172f1acc2f7cc8f3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ea02699c7557eeb35ccff2bd822de1b3e09d868
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b505e0319852b08a3a716b64620168eab21f4ced
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2024-38602 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-38602 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7vxw-8c3h-6mgh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-38602 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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