# CVE-2024-38633: serial: max3100: Update uart_driver_registered on driver removal

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel MAX3100 serial driver causes a system crash during device removal and re-insertion cycles.

- **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:** 21 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-38633, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-38633, GHSA-fjgx-ff76-7ggv, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-38633

## What is CVE-2024-38633?

CVE-2024-38633 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 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:

serial: max3100: Update uart_driver_registered on driver removal

The removal of the last MAX3100 device triggers the removal of
the driver. However, code doesn't update the respective global
variable and after insmod — rmmod — insmod cycle the kernel
oopses:

  max3100 spi-PRP0001:01: max3100_probe: adding port 0
  BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000408
  ...
  RIP: 0010:serial_core_register_port+0xa0/0x840
  ...
   max3100_probe+0x1b6/0x280 [max3100]
   spi_probe+0x8d/0xb0

Update the actual state so next time UART driver will be registered
again.

Hugo also noticed, that the error path in the probe also affected
by having the variable set, and not cleared. Instead of clearing it
move the assignment after the successfull uart_register_driver() call.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-38633?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-38633?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-38633 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-38633 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-2024-38633 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-38633 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 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-2024-38633 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-2024-38633/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38633/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38633
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38633
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38633

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38633/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.