# CVE-2024-46842: scsi: lpfc: Handle mailbox timeouts in lpfc_get_sfp_info

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel lpfc driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via mailbox timeout handling.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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:** 27 Sep 2024
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-50135, AZL-50188, BELL-CVE-2024-46842, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-46842, GHSA-97x4-gv8v-28vq, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2024-46842, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2024-46842, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2024-46842, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-46842

## What is CVE-2024-46842?

CVE-2024-46842 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Sep 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:

scsi: lpfc: Handle mailbox timeouts in lpfc_get_sfp_info

The MBX_TIMEOUT return code is not handled in lpfc_get_sfp_info and the
routine unconditionally frees submitted mailbox commands regardless of
return status.  The issue is that for MBX_TIMEOUT cases, when firmware
returns SFP information at a later time, that same mailbox memory region
references previously freed memory in its cmpl routine.

Fix by adding checks for the MBX_TIMEOUT return code.  During mailbox
resource cleanup, check the mbox flag to make sure that the wait did not
timeout.  If the MBOX_WAKE flag is not set, then do not free the resources
because it will be freed when firmware completes the mailbox at a later
time in its cmpl routine.

Also, increase the timeout from 30 to 60 seconds to accommodate boot
scripts requiring longer timeouts.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-46842?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-46842?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-46842 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-46842 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-2024-46842 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-46842 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Sep 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-2024-46842 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-2024-46842/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-46842/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-46842
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-46842
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-46842

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-46842/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.