CVE-2024-42224 net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: Correct check for empty list

What is CVE-2024-42224?

CVE-2024-42224 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 30 Jul 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:

net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: Correct check for empty list

Since commit a3c53be55c95 ("net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: Support multiple MDIO busses") mv88e6xxx_default_mdio_bus() has checked that the return value of list_first_entry() is non-NULL.

This appears to be intended to guard against the list chip->mdios being empty. However, it is not the correct check as the implementation of list_first_entry is not designed to return NULL for empty lists.

Instead, use list_first_entry_or_null() which does return NULL if the list is empty.

Flagged by Smatch. Compile tested only.

Weakness: CWE-754

Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42224?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2024-42224?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2024-42224 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42224 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as AZL-47337, AZL-47379, BELL-CVE-2024-42224, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42224, GHSA-3q3x-839r-4xrh, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42224.