# CVE-2024-38544: RDMA/rxe: Fix seg fault in rxe_comp_queue_pkt

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel RDMA driver allows attackers to cause a segmentation fault and system crash.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-38544, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-38544, GHSA-mqxf-7jx4-2h8p, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-38544

## What is CVE-2024-38544?

CVE-2024-38544 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jun 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

RDMA/rxe: Fix seg fault in rxe_comp_queue_pkt

In rxe_comp_queue_pkt() an incoming response packet skb is enqueued to the
resp_pkts queue and then a decision is made whether to run the completer
task inline or schedule it. Finally the skb is dereferenced to bump a 'hw'
performance counter. This is wrong because if the completer task is
already running in a separate thread it may have already processed the skb
and freed it which can cause a seg fault.  This has been observed
infrequently in testing at high scale.

This patch fixes this by changing the order of enqueuing the packet until
after the counter is accessed.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-38544?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-38544?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-38544 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-38544 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-2024-38544 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-38544 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jun 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-38544 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-2024-38544/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38544/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38544
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38544
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38544

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38544/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.