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🛡️ CVE-2024-56599 — kernel

🟡 CVSS 5.5 — Medium ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
5.5
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

wifi: ath10k: avoid NULL pointer error during sdio remove

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: ath10k: avoid NULL pointer error during sdio remove

When running 'rmmod ath10k', ath10k_sdio_remove() will free sdio

workqueue by destroy_workqueue(). But if CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON

is set to yes, kernel panic will happen:

Call trace:

destroy_workqueue+0x1c/0x258

ath10k_sdio_remove+0x84/0x94

sdio_bus_remove+0x50/0x16c

device_release_driver_internal+0x188/0x25c

device_driver_detach+0x20/0x2c

This is because during 'rmmod ath10k', ath10k_sdio_remove() will call

ath10k_core_destroy() before destroy_workqueue(). wiphy_dev_release()

will finally be called in ath10k_core_destroy(). This function will free

struct cfg80211_registered_device *rdev and all its members, including

wiphy, dev and the pointer of sdio workqueue. Then the pointer of sdio

workqueue will be set to NULL due to CONFIG_INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON.

After device release, destroy_workqueue() will use NULL pointer then the

kernel panic happen.

Call trace:

ath10k_sdio_remove

->ath10k_core_unregister

……

->ath10k_core_stop

->ath10k_hif_stop

->ath10k_sdio_irq_disable

->ath10k_hif_power_down

->del_timer_sync(&ar_sdio->sleep_timer)

->ath10k_core_destroy

->ath10k_mac_destroy

->ieee80211_free_hw

->wiphy_free

……

->wiphy_dev_release

->destroy_workqueue

Need to call destroy_workqueue() before ath10k_core_destroy(), free

the work queue buffer first and then free pointer of work queue by

ath10k_core_destroy(). This order matches the error path order in

ath10k_sdio_probe().

No work will be queued on sdio workqueue between it is destroyed and

ath10k_core_destroy() is called. Based on the call_stack above, the

reason is:

Only ath10k_sdio_sleep_timer_handler(), ath10k_sdio_hif_tx_sg() and

ath10k_sdio_irq_disable() will queue work on sdio workqueue.

Sleep timer will be deleted before ath10k_core_destroy() in

ath10k_hif_power_down().

ath10k_sdio_irq_disable() only be called in ath10k_hif_stop().

ath10k_core_unregister() will call ath10k_hif_power_down() to stop hif

bus, so ath10k_sdio_hif_tx_sg() won't be called anymore.

Tested-on: QCA6174 hw3.2 SDIO WLAN.RMH.4.4.1-00189

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability high.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: None.
  • Integrity impact: None.
  • Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.

Affected software

CVE-2024-56599 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • kernel (from 6.7.0 up to 6.12.5)
  • linux-kernel (fixed in 6.12.5)

Timeline and source

Published on 27 December 2024 and last revised on 12 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
lists.debian.org (Web)
lists.debian.org (Web)
github.com (Advisory)
nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
git.kernel.org (Package)

Other advisories for this package

kernel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

CVE-2024-56599 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity Medium
CVSS Score 5.5
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2024-12-27
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-08-12

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
kernel 6.7.0 6.12.5
linux-kernel — 6.12.5

References

Similar Threats

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ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

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