# CVE-2024-53120: net/mlx5e: CT: Fix null-ptr-deref in add rule err flow

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's Mellanox mlx5 driver can cause a system crash when adding connection tracking rules fails.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Dec 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-54207, AZL-54227, BELL-CVE-2024-53120, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-53120, GHSA-fvhh-6wh3-m386, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-53120

## What is CVE-2024-53120?

CVE-2024-53120 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 2 Dec 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net/mlx5e: CT: Fix null-ptr-deref in add rule err flow

In error flow of mlx5_tc_ct_entry_add_rule(), in case ct_rule_add()
callback returns error, zone_rule->attr is used uninitiated. Fix it to
use attr which has the needed pointer value.

Kernel log:
 BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000110
 RIP: 0010:mlx5_tc_ct_entry_add_rule+0x2b1/0x2f0 [mlx5_core]
…
 Call Trace:
  <TASK>
  ? __die+0x20/0x70
  ? page_fault_oops+0x150/0x3e0
  ? exc_page_fault+0x74/0x140
  ? asm_exc_page_fault+0x22/0x30
  ? mlx5_tc_ct_entry_add_rule+0x2b1/0x2f0 [mlx5_core]
  ? mlx5_tc_ct_entry_add_rule+0x1d5/0x2f0 [mlx5_core]
  mlx5_tc_ct_block_flow_offload+0xc6a/0xf90 [mlx5_core]
  ? nf_flow_offload_tuple+0xd8/0x190 [nf_flow_table]
  nf_flow_offload_tuple+0xd8/0x190 [nf_flow_table]
  flow_offload_work_handler+0x142/0x320 [nf_flow_table]
  ? finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x15b/0x2b0
  process_one_work+0x16c/0x320
  worker_thread+0x28c/0x3a0
  ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10
  kthread+0xb8/0xf0
  ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
  ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x50
  ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
  ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
  </TASK>

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-53120?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-53120?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-53120 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-53120 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-2024-53120 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-53120 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 2 Dec 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-53120 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-2024-53120/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53120/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-53120
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-53120
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-53120

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53120/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.