LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2024-56677: powerpc/fadump: Move fadump_cma_init to setup_arch() after initmem_init()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/fadump: Move fadump_cma_init to setup_arch() after initmem_init() During early init CMA_MIN_ALIGNMENT_BYTES can be PAGE_SIZE, since pageblock_order is still zero and it gets initialized later during initmem_init() e.g. setup_arch() -> initmem_init() -> sparse_init() -> set_pageblock_order() One such use case where this causes issue is - early_setup() -> early_init_devtree() -> fadump_reserve_mem() -> fadump_cma_init() This causes CMA memory alignment check to be bypassed in cma_init_reserved_mem(). Then later cma_activate_area() can hit a VM_BUG_ON_PAGE(pfn & ((1 << order) - 1)) if the reserved memory area was not pageblock_order aligned. Fix it by moving the fadump_cma_init() after initmem_init(), where other such cma reservations also gets called. <stack trace> ============== page: refcount:0 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000000000000 index:0x0 pfn:0x10010 flags: 0x13ffff800000000(node=1|zone=0|lastcpupid=0x7ffff) CMA raw: 013ffff800000000 5deadbeef0000100 5deadbeef0000122 0000000000000000 raw: 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 00000000ffffffff 0000000000000000 page dumped because: VM_BUG_ON_PAGE(pfn & ((1 << order) - 1)) ------------[ cut here ]------------ kernel BUG at mm/page_alloc.c:778! Call Trace: __free_one_page+0x57c/0x7b0 (unreliable) free_pcppages_bulk+0x1a8/0x2c8 free_unref_page_commit+0x3d4/0x4e4 free_unref_page+0x458/0x6d0 init_cma_reserved_pageblock+0x114/0x198 cma_init_reserved_areas+0x270/0x3e0 do_one_initcall+0x80/0x2f8 kernel_init_freeable+0x33c/0x530 kernel_init+0x34/0x26c ret_from_kernel_user_thread+0x14/0x1c

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux kernel initialization-order flaw can crash affected PowerPC systems during boot when firmware-assisted dump reserves improperly aligned contiguous memory. Practical exposure depends on PowerPC architecture, fadump use, and the deployed kernel build. The supplied assessment rates it CVSS 7.8 High.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority for PowerPC fleets using fadump, particularly where boot reliability or crash-dump availability is operationally critical. Schedule an urgent controlled kernel update. The supplied evidence does not justify an emergency internet-wide response because remote reachability and active exploitation are not established.

Technical view

fadump_cma_init() ran before initmem_init() established pageblock_order. This could make CMA use PAGE_SIZE alignment, bypass the intended reserved-memory alignment check, and later trigger VM_BUG_ON_PAGE during CMA activation. The fix moves fadump CMA initialization after initmem_init().

Likely exposure

Exposure appears concentrated on Linux PowerPC systems exercising the fadump CMA reservation path. The bundle identifies Linux 5.19 and several 6.x release points as affected, but distribution backports make version-only conclusions unreliable. Other architectures are not implicated by the supplied technical description.

Exploitation context

No supplied source reports active exploitation, and the bundle marks this CVE as absent from KEV. The CVSS vector describes local, low-privilege access without user interaction, but the sources do not establish a reliable attacker-controlled trigger. The demonstrated outcome is a kernel BUG and system crash.

Researcher notes

The evidence establishes an initialization-order and CMA alignment failure, plus stable-kernel fixes. It does not establish attacker control over memory alignment, exploitation beyond the documented kernel crash, or exact distribution package coverage. The affected-version data is coarse and includes commit-like entries, so assess vendor backports rather than relying solely on upstream version strings.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply a vendor kernel update containing the applicable stable fix.
  • Reboot into the updated kernel; installing a package alone does not activate it.
  • Prioritize PowerPC systems using firmware-assisted dump functionality.
  • Consult vendor guidance if patching is delayed; the supplied sources name no supported workaround.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory PowerPC hosts and determine whether fadump is enabled or used.
  • Compare running kernel packages with vendor advisories and documented backport status.
  • Verify the deployed kernel contains the applicable referenced stable fix.
  • Review boot logs for the described CMA VM_BUG_ON_PAGE failure.
  • After updating, test reboot behavior during an approved maintenance window.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

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

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 · low confidence lookup

CVE-2024-56677 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
1ADP providers
7Source links

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
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-56677Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux11ac3e87ce09c27f4587a8c4fe0829d814021a82, 11ac3e87ce09c27f4587a8c4fe0829d814021a82, 11ac3e87ce09c27f4587a8c4fe0829d814021a82, 11ac3e87ce09c27f4587a8c4fe0829d814021a82, 11ac3e87ce09c27f4587a8c4fe0829d814021a82unaffected
LinuxLinux5.19, 0, 6.1.120, 6.6.64, 6.11.11, 6.12.2, 6.13affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.