Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2024-40979)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2024-40979). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: ath12k: fix kernel crash during resume
Currently during resume, QMI target memory is not properly handled, resulting
in kernel crash in case DMA remap is not supported:
BUG: Bad page state in process kworker/u16:54 pfn:36e80
page: refcount:1 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000000000000 index:0x0 pfn:0x36e80
page dumped because: nonzero _refcount
Call Trace:
bad_page
free_page_is_bad_report
__free_pages_ok
__free_pages
dma_direct_free
dma_free_attrs
ath12k_qmi_free_target_mem_chunk
ath12k_qmi_msg_mem_request_cb
The reason is:
Once ath12k module is loaded, firmware sends memory request to host. In case
DMA remap not supported, ath12k refuses the first request due to failure in
allocating with large segment size:
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi firmware request memory request
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi mem seg type 1 size 7077888
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi mem seg type 4 size 8454144
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi dma allocation failed (7077888 B type 1), will try later with small size
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi delays mem_request 2
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi firmware request memory request
Later firmware comes back with more but small segments and allocation
succeeds:
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi mem seg type 1 size 524288
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi mem seg type 1 size 524288
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi mem seg type 1 size 524288
ath12k_pci 0000:04:00.0: qmi mem seg type 1 size 524288
ath12k_…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2024-40979 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 7.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2024-40979" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2024-40979 (Linux kernel) — CWE-401 / CVSS v3 7.8
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-401) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2024-40979 linux Fixed in: 6.9.7-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2024-40979 linux
References
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- advisory github.com
- package git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web github.com