CVE-2024-44939

Name of the Vulnerable Software and Affected Versions Linux kernel versions prior to 6.6.50

Description A null pointer dereference vulnerability has been resolved in the Linux kernel. The issue occurs in the dtInsertEntry() function when the pointer h has the same value as p, causing the p->header.flag to be cleared after writing the name in UniStrncpy to le(). This leads to entering an incorrect branch and accessing the uninitialized object ih when judging the condition for the second time. The vulnerability can cause a general protection fault, probably for a non-canonical address.

Recommendations To resolve the issue, update the Linux kernel to version 6.6.50 or later. As a temporary workaround, consider restricting access to the dtInsertEntry() function until a patch is available. Additionally, ensure that the freelist is checked before calling dtInsert() to prevent the null pointer dereference.