Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-38633 is a Linux kernel bug in the MAX3100 serial driver. A remove-and-reload cycle can leave driver state inconsistent and cause a kernel oops. Business impact is mainly stability risk on systems using this specific driver, not a broadly documented remote compromise issue.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted kernel reliability issue. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, faster for embedded or hardware-integrated systems using MAX3100 serial devices. There is no cited evidence of active exploitation or broad internet-facing exposure.
Technical view
The max3100 serial driver failed to clear or correctly set a global registration state during device removal and probe error paths. After an insmod, rmmod, insmod sequence, serial_core_register_port can dereference NULL and crash. Kernel stable commits update when uart_driver_registered is set.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to Linux systems that include and use the MAX3100 SPI UART driver. The sources do not show broad default exposure, remote reachability, or impact on systems without this hardware or module path.
Exploitation context
The source bundle says KEV is false and provides no evidence of active exploitation. The described failure is a kernel oops after module/device lifecycle operations. Attacker prerequisites are not stated, so exploitability beyond local or administrative interaction is unconfirmed.
Researcher notes
The root cause is stale uart_driver_registered state across removal and failed probe paths. Public data lacks CVSS, CWE, and attacker model details. Validation should focus on branch-specific stable commits and whether the driver is present and reachable in the environment.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Linux kernel or distribution updates that include the referenced stable fixes.
- For Debian LTS systems, follow the Debian LTS advisory guidance.
- Prioritize systems using MAX3100 serial hardware or the max3100 driver.
- If patch timing is unclear, check current vendor kernel guidance before changing configuration.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux hosts for MAX3100 hardware or max3100 driver usage.
- Confirm the running kernel includes the referenced stable fix for its branch.
- Check distribution security advisories for the fixed package version.
- Review kernel logs for max3100 probe errors or related kernel oops events.
Public sources used
- CVE Program
- CVE List V5
- Linux stable commit 21a61a7fbcfdd3493cede43ebc7c4dfae2147a8b
- Linux stable commit 9db4222ed8cd3e50b81c8b910ae74c26427a4003
- Linux stable commit e8e2a4339decad7e59425b594a98613402652d72
- Linux stable commit 361a92c9038e8c8c3996f8eeaa14522a8ad90752
- Linux stable commit b6eb7aff23e05f362e8c9b560f6ac5e727b70e00
- Linux stable commit e8a10089eddba40d4b2080c9d3fc2d2b2488f762
- Linux stable commit fa84ca78b048dfb00df0ef446f5c35e0a98ca6a0
- Linux stable commit 712a1fcb38dc7cac6da63ee79a88708fbf9c45ec
- Debian LTS announcement
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2024-38633 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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.
SSVC decision data
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/21a61a7fbcfdd3493cede43ebc7c4dfae2147a8bCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9db4222ed8cd3e50b81c8b910ae74c26427a4003CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e8e2a4339decad7e59425b594a98613402652d72CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/361a92c9038e8c8c3996f8eeaa14522a8ad90752CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6eb7aff23e05f362e8c9b560f6ac5e727b70e00CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e8a10089eddba40d4b2080c9d3fc2d2b2488f762CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fa84ca78b048dfb00df0ef446f5c35e0a98ca6a0CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/712a1fcb38dc7cac6da63ee79a88708fbf9c45ecCVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00020.htmlCVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.