# CVE-2024-38602: ax25: Fix reference count leak issues of ax25_dev

> A reference count leak in the Linux kernel AX.25 subsystem can lead to memory leaks and potential denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 19 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 23 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-38602, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-38602, GHSA-7vxw-8c3h-6mgh, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2024-38602, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-38602

## What is CVE-2024-38602?

CVE-2024-38602 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jun 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:

ax25: Fix reference count leak issues of ax25_dev

The ax25_addr_ax25dev() and ax25_dev_device_down() exist a reference
count leak issue of the object "ax25_dev".

Memory leak issue in ax25_addr_ax25dev():

The reference count of the object "ax25_dev" can be increased multiple
times in ax25_addr_ax25dev(). This will cause a memory leak.

Memory leak issues in ax25_dev_device_down():

The reference count of ax25_dev is set to 1 in ax25_dev_device_up() and
then increase the reference count when ax25_dev is added to ax25_dev_list.
As a result, the reference count of ax25_dev is 2. But when the device is
shutting down. The ax25_dev_device_down() drops the reference count once
or twice depending on if we goto unlock_put or not, which will cause
memory leak.

As for the issue of ax25_addr_ax25dev(), it is impossible for one pointer
to be on a list twice. So add a break in ax25_addr_ax25dev(). As for the
issue of ax25_dev_device_down(), increase the reference count of ax25_dev
once in ax25_dev_device_up() and decrease the reference count of ax25_dev
after it is removed from the ax25_dev_list.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-38602?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-38602?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-38602 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-38602 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-2024-38602 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-38602 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jun 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-2024-38602 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-2024-38602/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38602/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38602
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38602
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38602

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38602/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.