CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2024-57881 — Linux Linux Kernel security vulnerability

Medium CVSS 5.5

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/page_alloc: don't call pfn_to_page() on possibly non-existent PFN in split_large_buddy() In split_large_buddy(), we might call pfn_to_page() on a PFN that might not exist. In corner cases, such as when freeing the highest pageblock in the last memory section, this could result with CONFIG_SPARSEMEM && !CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_EXTREME in __pfn_to_section() returning NULL and and __section_mem_map_addr() dereferencing that NULL pointer. Let's fix it, and avoid doing a pfn_to_page() call for the first iteration, where we already have the page. So far this was found by code inspection, but let's just CC stable as the fix is easy.

Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Published
2025-01-11
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
linux/kernel
Weaknesses
CWE-476

Affected products

  • linux / linux_kernel
  • linux / linux_kernel / 6.13

Showing 2 representative product identities from 4 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

Buffer bounds, memory safety, and memory corruption

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Identify affected native-code versions, build flags, architectures, parsers, codecs, drivers, and input paths in all shipped artifacts.
  • Determine whether untrusted data reaches the affected routine and the process privilege, sandbox, and network exposure.
  • Confirm statically linked, vendored, firmware, and platform-provided copies, not only package-manager records.

Remediate safely

  • Apply the maintained upstream correction or replace the affected component, then rebuild every dependent artifact from clean inputs.
  • Adopt bounds-checked interfaces, validated sizes and integer conversions, clear ownership, and memory-safe components where practical.
  • Enable supported compiler and runtime hardening and add sanitized tests and fuzz regression seeds derived from non-weaponized fixtures.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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