CVE-2024-40970: Avoid hw_desc array overrun in dw-axi-dmac
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2024-40970 is a high (CVSS 7.8) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.30% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 22.8% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 7.8, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 23 · Related 21Timeline
- 12-07-2024PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 05-08-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Avoid hw_desc array overrun in dw-axi-dmac I have a use case where nr_buffers = 3 and in which each descriptor is composed by 3 segments, resulting in the DMA channel descs_allocated to be 9. Since axi_desc_put() handles the hw_desc considering the descs_allocated, this scenario would result in a kernel panic (hw_desc array will be overrun). To fix this, the proposal is to add a new member to the axi_dma_desc structure, where we keep the number of allocated hw_descs (axi_desc_alloc()) and use it in axi_desc_put() to handle the hw_desc array correctly. Additionally I propose to remove the axi_chan_start_first_queued() call after completing the transfer, since it was identified that unbalance can occur (started descriptors can be interrupted and transfer ignored due to DMA channel not being enabled).
CVSS metrics
5 scores · 4 sources · 2 versions- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated7.8HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
- NVDNIST5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
EPSS trend
Probability
0.30%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
23%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 0.30% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeNo weakness data has been published for this record.
Affected systems
Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu116 products
- linux< 5.15.0-121.131 | < 6.8.0-44.44
- linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws< 5.15.0-1069.75 | < 6.8.0-1015.16
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Linux2 products
- linux≥ ef6fb2d6f1abd56cc067c694253ea362159b5ac3, < 7c3bb96a20cd8db3b8824b2ff08b6cde4505c7e5 | ≥ ef6fb2d6f1abd56cc067c694253ea362159b5ac3, < dd42570018f5962c10f215ad9c21274ed5d3541e | ≥ ef6fb2d6f1abd56cc067c694253ea362159b5ac3, < e151ae1ee065cf4b8ce4394ddb9d9c8df6370c66 | ≥ ef6fb2d6f1abd56cc067c694253ea362159b5ac3, < 9004784e8d68bcd1ac1376407ba296fa28f04dbe | ≥ ef6fb2d6f1abd56cc067c694253ea362159b5ac3, < 333e11bf47fa8d477db90e2900b1ed3c9ae9b697 | 5.12
- linux_kernel< 5.15.162 | ≥ 5.16, < 6.1.96 | ≥ 6.2, < 6.6.36 | ≥ 6.7, < 6.9.7
Debian1 product
- linux< 6.1.99-1 | < 6.9.7-1
3 vendors · 119 products
