CVE-2024-57981: linux kernel Null Dereference — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: xhci: Fix NULL pointer dereference on certain command aborts If a command is queued to the final usable TRB of a ring segment, the enqueue pointer is advanced to the subsequent link TRB and no further. If the command is later aborted, when the abort completion is handled the dequeue pointer is advanced to the first TRB of the next segment. If no further commands are queued, xhci_handle_stopped_cmd_ring() sees the ring pointers unequal and assumes that there is a pending command, so it calls xhci_mod_cmd_timer() which crashes if cur_cmd was NULL. Don't attempt timer setup if cur_cmd is NULL. The subsequent doorbell ring likely is unnecessary too, but it's harmless. Leave it alone. This is probably Bug 219532, but no confirmation has been received. The issue has been independently reproduced and confirmed fixed using a USB MCU programmed to NAK the Status stage of SET_ADDRESS forever. Everything continued working normally after several prevented crashes.

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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	3.16 — 6.1.129
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.6.76
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.12.13
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.13.2

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ce5c0dac768be14afe2426101b568a0f66bfc4d https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e0a19912adb68a4b2b74fd77001c96cd83eb073 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ff18870af793ce2034a6ad746e91d0a3d985b88 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ae069cd2ba09a2bd6a87a68c59ef0b7ea39cd641 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b649f0d5bc256f691c7d234c3986685d54053de1

Other References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b44253956407046e5907d4d72c8fa5b93ae94485 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf30300a216a4f8dce94e11781a866a09d4b50d4 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd8bfaeba4a85b14427899adec0efb3954300653 https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00028.html https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.html https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-503939.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-57981? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: xhci: Fix NULL pointer dereference on certain command aborts If a command is queued to the final usable TRB of a ring segment, the enqueue pointer is advanced to the subsequent link TRB and no further. If the command is later aborted, when the abort completion is handled the dequeue pointer is advanced to the first TRB of the next segment. If no further commands are queued, xhci_handle_stopped_cmd_ring() sees the ring pointers unequal and assumes that there is a pending command, so it calls xhci_mod_cmd_timer() which crashes if cur_cmd was NULL. Don't attempt timer setup if cur_cmd is NULL. The subsequent doorbell ring likely is unnecessary too, but it's harmless. Leave it alone. This is probably Bug 219532, but no confirmation has been received. The issue has been independently reproduced and confirmed fixed using a USB MCU programmed to NAK the Status stage of SET_ADDRESS forever. Everything continued working normally after several prevented crashes. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2024-57981? +

CVE-2024-57981 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-2024-57981? +

CVE-2024-57981 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-2024-57981? +

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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