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CVE Record

CVE-2024-49998: net: dsa: improve shutdown sequence

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: dsa: improve shutdown sequence Alexander Sverdlin presents 2 problems during shutdown with the lan9303 driver. One is specific to lan9303 and the other just happens to reproduce there. The first problem is that lan9303 is unique among DSA drivers in that it calls dev_get_drvdata() at "arbitrary runtime" (not probe, not shutdown, not remove): phy_state_machine() -> ... -> dsa_user_phy_read() -> ds->ops->phy_read() -> lan9303_phy_read() -> chip->ops->phy_read() -> lan9303_mdio_phy_read() -> dev_get_drvdata() But we never stop the phy_state_machine(), so it may continue to run after dsa_switch_shutdown(). Our common pattern in all DSA drivers is to set drvdata to NULL to suppress the remove() method that may come afterwards. But in this case it will result in an NPD. The second problem is that the way in which we set dp->conduit->dsa_ptr = NULL; is concurrent with receive packet processing. dsa_switch_rcv() checks once whether dev->dsa_ptr is NULL, but afterwards, rather than continuing to use that non-NULL value, dev->dsa_ptr is dereferenced again and again without NULL checks: dsa_conduit_find_user() and many other places. In between dereferences, there is no locking to ensure that what was valid once continues to be valid. Both problems have the common aspect that closing the conduit interface solves them. In the first case, dev_close(conduit) triggers the NETDEV_GOING_DOWN event in dsa_user_netdevice_event() which closes user ports as well. dsa_port_disable_rt() calls phylink_stop(), which synchronously stops the phylink state machine, and ds->ops->phy_read() will thus no longer call into the driver after this point. In the second case, dev_close(conduit) should do this, as per Documentation/networking/driver.rst: | Quiescence | ---------- | | After the ndo_stop routine has been called, the hardware must | not receive or transmit any data. All in flight packets must | be aborted. If necessary, poll or wait for completion of | any reset commands. So it should be sufficient to ensure that later, when we zeroize conduit->dsa_ptr, there will be no concurrent dsa_switch_rcv() call on this conduit. The addition of the netif_device_detach() function is to ensure that ioctls, rtnetlinks and ethtool requests on the user ports no longer propagate down to the driver - we're no longer prepared to handle them. The race condition actually did not exist when commit 0650bf52b31f ("net: dsa: be compatible with masters which unregister on shutdown") first introduced dsa_switch_shutdown(). It was created later, when we stopped unregistering the user interfaces from a bad spot, and we just replaced that sequence with a racy zeroization of conduit->dsa_ptr (one which doesn't ensure that the interfaces aren't up).

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2024-49998 is a Linux kernel shutdown bug in Distributed Switch Architecture networking. During shutdown, some network driver state could still be used after it was being cleared, causing a null pointer dereference or race. The sources do not provide CVSS, confirmed exploitation, or a complete impact rating.

Executive priority

Treat this as targeted patching for Linux-based networked devices, not a broad enterprise emergency. Prioritize systems where shutdown reliability matters, such as industrial gateways, appliances, and remotely managed embedded equipment. Urgency is constrained by missing severity and exploitation evidence.

Technical view

The fix changes DSA shutdown ordering: close the conduit interface, stop user ports and phylink state machines, detach network devices, then clear conduit dsa_ptr. This addresses lan9303 runtime phy_read access after shutdown and a race where packet receive paths could dereference conduit->dsa_ptr after it was zeroized.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with DSA networking, especially embedded, appliance, or industrial systems using switch drivers such as lan9303. Generic Linux servers without DSA switch hardware are less likely to be exposed, based on the provided description.

Exploitation context

The bundle says KEV is false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The described condition occurs around shutdown while network packet handling, PHY state machines, ioctls, rtnetlink, or ethtool requests may still reach driver paths.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a kernel shutdown race and null pointer dereference class issue in DSA paths. The record lacks CVSS, CWE, exploitability analysis, and detailed product impact beyond Linux and linked Siemens advisories. Avoid assuming remote code execution or active exploitation from the available sources.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a kernel build containing the referenced stable DSA shutdown fixes.
  • Use vendor-supported kernel packages rather than backporting manually where possible.
  • For Siemens environments, review the linked Siemens advisories for product-specific guidance.
  • Prioritize affected embedded, appliance, and industrial systems using Linux DSA networking.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions against the affected and fixed versions in the CVE record.
  • Identify systems using DSA switch drivers, especially lan9303-based hardware.
  • Confirm vendor kernels include the referenced stable commits for this CVE.
  • Review shutdown or reboot crash logs for DSA, lan9303, phylink, or null pointer traces.
  • Check Siemens advisories if deployed products match their affected product lists.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

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-2024-49998 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

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

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
other:ssvc
siemens-SADPADP container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxff45899e732e57088985e3a497b1d9100571c0f5, ee534378f00561207656663d93907583958339ae, ee534378f00561207656663d93907583958339ae, ee534378f00561207656663d93907583958339ae, ee534378f00561207656663d93907583958339ae, ee534378f00561207656663d93907583958339ae, 89b60402d43cdab4387dbbf24afebda5cf092ae7, 5.15.155, 5.16.10unaffected
LinuxLinux5.17, 0, 5.15.176, 6.1.167, 6.6.117, 6.10.14, 6.11.3, 6.12affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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