CVE-2024-37021: linux kernel Null Dereference — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fpga: manager: add owner module and take its refcount The current implementation of the fpga manager assumes that the low-level module registers a driver for the parent device and uses its owner pointer to take the module's refcount. This approach is problematic since it can lead to a null pointer dereference while attempting to get the manager if the parent device does not have a driver. To address this problem, add a module owner pointer to the fpga_manager struct and use it to take the module's refcount. Modify the functions for registering the manager to take an additional owner module parameter and rename them to avoid conflicts. Use the old function names for helper macros that automatically set the module that registers the manager as the owner. This ensures compatibility with existing low-level control modules and reduces the chances of registering a manager without setting the owner. Also, update the documentation to keep it consistent with the new interface for registering an fpga manager. Other changes: opportunistically move put_device() from __fpga_mgr_get() to fpga_mgr_get() and of_fpga_mgr_get() to improve code clarity since the manager device is taken in these functions.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-476 CWE-476

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	4.4 — 6.1.120
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.6.33
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.9.4

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2da62a139a6221a345db4eb9f4f1c4b0937c89ad https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/304f8032d601d4f9322ca841cd0b573bd1beb158 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d4d2d4346857bf778fafaa97d6f76bb1663e3c9 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62ac496a01c9337a11362cea427038ba621ca9eb https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2da62a139a6221a345db4eb9f4f1c4b0937c89ad https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d4d2d4346857bf778fafaa97d6f76bb1663e3c9 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62ac496a01c9337a11362cea427038ba621ca9eb

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00001.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-37021? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fpga: manager: add owner module and take its refcount The current implementation of the fpga manager assumes that the low-level module registers a driver for the parent device and uses its owner pointer to take the module's refcount. This approach is problematic since it can lead to a null pointer dereference while attempting to get the manager if the parent device does not have a driver. To address this problem, add a module owner pointer to the fpga_manager struct and use it to take the module's refcount. Modify the functions for registering the manager to take an additional owner module parameter and rename them to avoid conflicts. Use the old function names for helper macros that automatically set the module that registers the manager as the owner. This ensures compatibility with existing low-level control modules and reduces the chances of registering a manager without setting the owner. Also, update the documentation to keep it consistent with the new interface for registering an fpga manager. Other changes: opportunistically move put_device() from __fpga_mgr_get() to fpga_mgr_get() and of_fpga_mgr_get() to improve code clarity since the manager device is taken in these functions. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2024-37021? +

CVE-2024-37021 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-37021? +

CVE-2024-37021 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2024-37021? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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