# CVE-2024-49941: gpiolib: Fix potential NULL pointer dereference in gpiod_get_label()

> A NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's gpiolib can cause a system crash when dumping sysfs GPIO files.

- **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 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-49941, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-49941, GHSA-pgcr-7vhj-26w2, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-49941

## What is CVE-2024-49941?

CVE-2024-49941 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 Oct 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:

gpiolib: Fix potential NULL pointer dereference in gpiod_get_label()

In `gpiod_get_label()`, it is possible that `srcu_dereference_check()` may
return a NULL pointer, leading to a scenario where `label->str` is accessed
without verifying if `label` itself is NULL.

This patch adds a proper NULL check for `label` before accessing
`label->str`. The check for `label->str != NULL` is removed because
`label->str` can never be NULL if `label` is not NULL.

This fixes the issue where the label name was being printed as `(efault)`
when dumping the sysfs GPIO file when `label == NULL`.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-49941?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-49941?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-49941 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-49941 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-2024-49941 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-49941 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 Oct 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-2024-49941 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-2024-49941/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49941/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-49941
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-49941
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49941

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49941/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.