CVE-2024-38608 — net/mlx5e: Fix netif state handling
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Fix netif state handling mlx5e_suspend cleans resources only if netif_device_present() returns true. However, mlx5e_resume changes the state of netif, via mlx5e_nic_enable, only if reg_state == NETREG_REGISTERED. In the below case, the above leads to NULL-ptr Oops[1] and memory leaks: mlx5e_probe _mlx5e_resume mlx5e_attach_netdev mlx5e_nic_enable <-- netdev not reg, not calling netif_device_attach() register_netdev <-- failed for some reason. ERROR_FLOW: _mlx5e_suspend <-- netif_device_present return false, resources aren't freed :( Hence, clean resources in this case as well. [1] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000 PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0010 [#1] SMP CPU: 2 PID: 9345 Comm: test-ovs-ct-gen Not tainted 6.5.0_for_upstream_min_debug_2023_09_05_16_01 #1 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS rel-1.13.0-0-gf21b5a4aeb02-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:0x0 Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at0xffffffffffffffd6. RSP: 0018:ffff888178aaf758 EFLAGS: 00010246 Call Trace: <TASK> ? __die+0x20/0x60 ? page_fault_oops+0x14c/0x3c0 ? exc_page_fault+0x75/0x140 ? asm_exc_page_fault+0x22/0x30 notifier_call_chain+0x35/0xb0 blocking_notifier_call_chain+0x3d/0x60 mlx5_blocking_notifier_call_chain+0x22/0x30 [mlx5_core] mlx5_core_uplink_netdev_event_replay+0x3e/0x60 [mlx5_core] mlx5_mdev_netdev_track+0x53/0x60 [mlx5_ib] mlx5_ib_roce_init+0xc3/0x340 [mlx5_ib] __mlx5_ib_add+0x34/0xd0 [mlx5_ib] mlx5r_probe+0xe1/0x210 [mlx5_ib] ? auxiliary_match_id+0x6a/0x90 auxiliary_bus_probe+0x38/0x80 ? driver_sysfs_add+0x51/0x80 really_probe+0xc9/0x3e0 ? driver_probe_device+0x90/0x90 __driver_probe_device+0x80/0x160 driver_probe_device+0x1e/0x90 __device_attach_driver+0x7d/0x100 bus_for_each_drv+0x80/0xd0 __device_attach+0xbc/0x1f0 bus_probe_device+0x86/0xa0 device_add+0x637/0x840 __auxiliary_device_add+0x3b/0xa0 add_adev+0xc9/0x140 [mlx5_core] mlx5_rescan_drivers_locked+0x22a/0x310 [mlx5_core] mlx5_register_device+0x53/0xa0 [mlx5_core] mlx5_init_one_devl_locked+0x5c4/0x9c0 [mlx5_core] mlx5_init_one+0x3b/0x60 [mlx5_core] probe_one+0x44c/0x730 [mlx5_core] local_pci_probe+0x3e/0x90 pci_device_probe+0xbf/0x210 ? kernfs_create_link+0x5d/0xa0 ? sysfs_do_create_link_sd+0x60/0xc0 really_probe+0xc9/0x3e0 ? driver_probe_device+0x90/0x90 __driver_probe_device+0x80/0x160 driver_probe_device+0x1e/0x90 __device_attach_driver+0x7d/0x100 bus_for_each_drv+0x80/0xd0 __device_attach+0xbc/0x1f0 pci_bus_add_device+0x54/0x80 pci_iov_add_virtfn+0x2e6/0x320 sriov_enable+0x208/0x420 mlx5_core_sriov_configure+0x9e/0x200 [mlx5_core] sriov_numvfs_store+0xae/0x1a0 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x10c/0x1a0 vfs_write+0x291/0x3c0 ksys_write+0x5f/0xe0 do_syscall_64+0x3d/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0 CR2: 0000000000000000 ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+3
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ 2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a and < 70eca80d98a44f47cd1633d0c20bda8ae546b4d1≥ 2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a and < f7e6cfb864a53af71c5cc904f1cc22215d68f5c6≥ 2c3b5beec46ab0d77c94828eb15170b333ae769a and < 3d5918477f94e4c2f064567875c475468e264644version 4.12 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 4.12 and < 6.9.3 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 20, 2026 → Oct 28, 2026 · 9 reading(s) · max 0.26%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2024
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 21, 2026 – Oct 21, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 21, 2026 – Oct 21, 2026
References
5 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Unknown CVE-2026-99216 Drivers: hv: Don't reset VMBus connection state on error/exit paths 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99215 power: supply: core: prevent unregistering a power supply while a callback runs 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99207 scsi: target: Disable interrupts while holding delayed_cmd_lock 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99208 drm/xe/oa: Zero OA buffer at allocation 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99209 drm/xe: skip eviction of a BO with no resource 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99210 accel/rocket: clear rdev on device init failure 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2024-38608 is "net/mlx5e: Fix netif state handling", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.26% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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