# CVE-2024-26623: pds_core: Prevent race issues involving the adminq

> A race condition in the pds_core driver can cause a NULL pointer dereference, leading to a system crash or denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Mar 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-26623, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-26623, GHSA-3fv7-f54h-j866, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-26623

## What is CVE-2024-26623?

CVE-2024-26623 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 6 Mar 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

pds_core: Prevent race issues involving the adminq

There are multiple paths that can result in using the pdsc's
adminq.

[1] pdsc_adminq_isr and the resulting work from queue_work(),
    i.e. pdsc_work_thread()->pdsc_process_adminq()

[2] pdsc_adminq_post()

When the device goes through reset via PCIe reset and/or
a fw_down/fw_up cycle due to bad PCIe state or bad device
state the adminq is destroyed and recreated.

A NULL pointer dereference can happen if [1] or [2] happens
after the adminq is already destroyed.

In order to fix this, add some further state checks and
implement reference counting for adminq uses. Reference
counting was used because multiple threads can attempt to
access the adminq at the same time via [1] or [2]. Additionally,
multiple clients (i.e. pds-vfio-pci) can be using [2]
at the same time.

The adminq_refcnt is initialized to 1 when the adminq has been
allocated and is ready to use. Users/clients of the adminq
(i.e. [1] and [2]) will increment the refcnt when they are using
the adminq. When the driver goes into a fw_down cycle it will
set the PDSC_S_FW_DEAD bit and then wait for the adminq_refcnt
to hit 1. Setting the PDSC_S_FW_DEAD before waiting will prevent
any further adminq_refcnt increments. Waiting for the
adminq_refcnt to hit 1 allows for any current users of the adminq
to finish before the driver frees the adminq. Once the
adminq_refcnt hits 1 the driver clears the refcnt to signify that
the adminq is deleted and cannot be used. On the fw_up cycle the
driver will once again initialize the adminq_refcnt to 1 allowing
the adminq to be used again.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-26623?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-26623?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-26623 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26623 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-26623 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-26623 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 6 Mar 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26623 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26623/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26623/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-26623
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26623
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-26623

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26623/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.