CVE-2024-38576: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rcu: Fix buffer overflow in print_cpu_stall_info() The rcuc-starvation output fr...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rcu: Fix buffer overflow in print_cpu_stall_info() The rcuc-starvation output from print_cpu_stall_info() might overflow the buffer if there is a huge difference in jiffies difference. The situation might seem improbable, but computers sometimes get very confused about time, which can result in full-sized integers, and, in this case, buffer overflow. Also, the unsigned jiffies difference is printed using %ld, which is normally for signed integers. This is intentional for debugging purposes, but it is not obvious from the code. This commit therefore changes sprintf() to snprintf() and adds a clarifying comment about intention of %ld format. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.1/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.25%

16.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-120

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.0, < 6.1.93
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.2, < 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: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-38576?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rcu: Fix buffer overflow in print_cpu_stall_info() The rcuc-starvation output from print_cpu_stall_info() might overflow the buffer if there is a huge difference in jiffies difference. The situation might seem improbable, but computers sometimes get very confused about time, which can result in full-sized integers, and, in this case, buffer overflow. Also, the unsigned jiffies difference is printed using %ld, which is normally for signed integers. This is intentional for debugging purposes, but it is not obvious from the code. This commit therefore changes sprintf() to snprintf() and adds a clarifying comment about intention of %ld format. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.

How severe is CVE-2024-38576?

CVE-2024-38576 has a CVSS score of 7.1/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.25% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2024-38576?

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.