CVE-2024-38553: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fec: remove .ndo_poll_controller to avoid deadlocks There is a deadlock iss...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fec: remove .ndo_poll_controller to avoid deadlocks There is a deadlock issue found in sungem driver, please refer to the commit ac0a230f719b ("eth: sungem: remove .ndo_poll_controller to avoid deadlocks"). The root cause of the issue is that netpoll is in atomic context and disable_irq() is called by .ndo_poll_controller interface of sungem driver, however, disable_irq() might sleep. After analyzing the implementation of fec_poll_controller(), the fec driver should have the same issue. Due to the fec driver uses NAPI for TX completions, the .ndo_poll_controller is unnecessary to be implemented in the fec driver, so fec_poll_controller() can be safely removed.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.19%

9.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-667

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 3.2, < 6.6.33
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.7, < 6.8.12
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.9, < 6.9.3

References

Timeline

Published: Jun 19, 2024
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-38553?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fec: remove .ndo_poll_controller to avoid deadlocks There is a deadlock issue found in sungem driver, please refer to the commit ac0a230f719b ("eth: sungem: remove .ndo_poll_controller to avoid deadlocks"). The root cause of the issue is that netpoll is in atomic context and disable_irq() is called by .ndo_poll_controller interface of sungem driver, however, disable_irq() might sleep. After analyzing the implementation of fec_poll_controller(), the fec driver should have the same issue. Due to the fec driver uses NAPI for TX completions, the .ndo_poll_controller is unnecessary to be implemented in the fec driver, so fec_poll_controller() can be safely removed.

How severe is CVE-2024-38553?

CVE-2024-38553 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.19% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2024-38553?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.