Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-40942 is a Linux kernel Wi-Fi mesh memory leak. Under mesh networking activity, some queued path-resolution objects may not be freed when a mesh path or interface is removed. The public record does not provide CVSS, impact scoring, or evidence of exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted kernel maintenance risk, not a broad emergency. Prioritize appliances, industrial systems, and Linux hosts using Wi-Fi mesh. Patch through normal vendor channels unless your environment depends heavily on wireless mesh availability.
Technical view
The issue is in mac80211 mesh HWMP handling. mesh_preq_queue entries attached to ieee80211_if_mesh can remain allocated after mpath deletion, including mesh interface removal. The kernel fix flushes corresponding preq_queue items in mesh_path_flush_pending(). KASAN reports show 128-byte unreferenced allocations from mesh_queue_preq().
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux systems using mac80211 Wi-Fi mesh networking. General Linux servers without wireless mesh interfaces are less likely to be exposed. Embedded, industrial, or network devices using Linux wireless mesh should check vendor kernel status.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation or public weaponization. The available evidence describes a kernel memory leak found through KASAN-style reports, not a confirmed remote exploit chain.
Researcher notes
The public data is incomplete for exploitability assessment: no CVSS, CWE, or exploit evidence is provided. The clearest technical signal is a resource leak in mesh path request queue cleanup, with fixed commits across Linux stable branches and downstream advisories.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Linux stable or distribution kernel updates containing the referenced fix.
- Check Debian, Siemens, or device-vendor advisories for product-specific update guidance.
- Prioritize systems using Wi-Fi mesh or embedded wireless networking.
- If updates are unavailable, ask the vendor for supported interim mitigations.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions and identify systems with Wi-Fi mesh enabled.
- Review vendor advisories for whether the deployed kernel includes the fix.
- Confirm updated kernels include the referenced mac80211 mesh preq_queue flush change.
- Monitor affected systems for memory growth during mesh interface lifecycle events.
Public sources used
- CVE Program
- CVE List V5
- Linux stable commit 377dbb220edc
- Linux stable commit ec79670eae43
- Linux stable commit 7518e20a189f
- Linux stable commit c4c865f971fd
- Linux stable commit 617dadbfb2d3
- Linux stable commit 63d5f89bb566
- Linux stable commit d81e244af521
- Linux stable commit b7d7f11a2918
- Debian LTS advisory
- Siemens ProductCERT SSA-265688
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-2024-40942 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/377dbb220edc8421b7960691876c5b3bef62f89bCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec79670eae430b3ffb7e0a6417ad7657728b8f95CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7518e20a189f8659b8b83969db4d33a4068fcfc3CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c4c865f971fd4a255208f57ef04d814c2ae9e0dcCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/617dadbfb2d3e152c5753e28356d189c9d6f33c0CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/63d5f89bb5664d60edbf8cf0df911aaae8ed96a4CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d81e244af521de63ad2883e17571b789c39b6549CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7d7f11a291830fdf69d3301075dd0fb347ced84CVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.htmlCVE reference, CVE
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-355557.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
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.