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CVE Record

CVE-2024-38593: net: micrel: Fix receiving the timestamp in the frame for lan8841

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: micrel: Fix receiving the timestamp in the frame for lan8841 The blamed commit started to use the ptp workqueue to get the second part of the timestamp. And when the port was set down, then this workqueue is stopped. But if the config option NETWORK_PHY_TIMESTAMPING is not enabled, then the ptp_clock is not initialized so then it would crash when it would try to access the delayed work. So then basically by setting up and then down the port, it would crash. The fix consists in checking if the ptp_clock is initialized and only then cancel the delayed work.

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue can crash a system when a Micrel LAN8841 network port is brought up and then down under a specific timestamping configuration. The business impact is availability disruption, not data theft or tampering. Sources do not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a targeted availability risk. Patch during the normal kernel maintenance cycle unless LAN8841-based systems support critical services or have broad local user access, where accelerated remediation is reasonable.

Technical view

The LAN8841 Micrel PHY driver could access delayed PTP work when ptp_clock was not initialized because NETWORK_PHY_TIMESTAMPING was disabled. Stopping the port could then dereference unavailable timestamping state and crash the kernel. The upstream fix checks ptp_clock before canceling delayed work.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems using the Micrel LAN8841 PHY driver on affected kernel builds. Risk is higher for appliances, embedded systems, or servers where local users or management tooling can change port state.

Exploitation context

CVSS marks this as local, low complexity, low privilege, no user interaction, with high availability impact. The source bundle marks KEV false and provides no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation or remote exploitation.

Researcher notes

Evidence is concise and kernel-specific. The key condition is uninitialized ptp_clock with NETWORK_PHY_TIMESTAMPING disabled, followed by port down handling. Affected version data should be validated against vendor backports and exact kernel commits.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux vendor kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize systems using Micrel LAN8841 network hardware or drivers.
  • Check downstream distro advisories before assuming upstream versions map directly.
  • Avoid unnecessary local access to network interface management functions.
  • Monitor affected systems for unexpected kernel crashes during interface changes.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernels and identify LAN8841 or Micrel PHY usage.
  • Confirm whether NETWORK_PHY_TIMESTAMPING is disabled on relevant builds.
  • Verify the upstream or vendor fix is present in deployed kernels.
  • Review crash logs for LAN8841, PTP, or Micrel driver traces.
  • Test interface lifecycle behavior only in a controlled maintenance environment.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
6

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2024-38593 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
5Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-38593Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxcc75549548482ed653c23f212544e58cb38ea980, cc75549548482ed653c23f212544e58cb38ea980, cc75549548482ed653c23f212544e58cb38ea980, cc75549548482ed653c23f212544e58cb38ea980unaffected
LinuxLinux6.5, 0, 6.6.33, 6.8.12, 6.9.3, 6.10affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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