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

> A null pointer dereference in the Marvell DSA driver can cause a kernel crash when handling empty MDIO bus lists.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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:** 30 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-47337, AZL-47379, BELL-CVE-2024-42224, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42224, GHSA-3q3x-839r-4xrh, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42224

## 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 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42224?

It affects 1 product.


Products: 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](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-2024-42224 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-42224 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-2024-42224/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42224/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42224
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42224
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42224

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42224/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.