What is CVE-2024-40973?

CVE-2024-40973 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476), affecting Linux kernel versions from 4.10 onward and patched in 6.1.130, 6.6.36, 6.9.7 and others. CVE-2024-40973 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2024-40973?

CVE-2024-40973 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity. The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.

Is there a patch available for CVE-2024-40973?

Yes, CVE-2024-40973 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.1.130, 6.6.36, 6.9.7 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 4.10 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

Is CVE-2024-40973 actively exploited?

CVE-2024-40973 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. See MITRE CWE for full details: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/476.html

CVE-2024-40973

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: mtk-vcodec: potential null pointer deference in SCP The return value of devm_kzalloc() needs to be checked to avoid NULL pointer deference. This is similar to CVE-2022-3113.

Package Linux Kernel

Published 2024-07-12

Last modified 2025-11-03

CVSS version 3.1

Patch available

Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10

Medium

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Vector string

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

Weakness type

CWE-476

CVE-2024-40973 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability

What is NULL Pointer Dereference?

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 4.10 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.1.130, 6.6.36, 6.9.7, 6.10 and their respective stable series.

Affected from

≥ 4.10

Fixed in

✓ 6.1.130 6.1.x ✓ 6.6.36 6.6.x ✓ 6.9.7 6.9.x ✓ 6.10

References

5 total

Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a693c7e243b932faee5c1fb728efa73f0abc39b

Patch
Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/53dbe08504442dc7ba4865c09b3bbf5fe849681b

Patch
Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f066882293b5ad359e44c4ed24ab1811ffb0b354

Patch
Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eeb62bb4ca22db17f7dfe8fb8472e0442df3d92f
Debian Security
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html

Details

CVE ID CVE-2024-40973

Severity Medium

CVSS score 5.5 / 10

CVSS version 3.1

Published 2024-07-12

Modified 2025-11-03

KEV No

Patch

Yes

Package linux

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-40973?

CVE-2024-40973 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 4.10 onward and has been patched in 6.1.130, 6.6.36, 6.9.7 and others. CVE-2024-40973 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2024-40973?

CVE-2024-40973 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
Is there a patch available for CVE-2024-40973?

Yes. CVE-2024-40973 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.1.130, 6.6.36, 6.9.7 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 4.10 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
Is CVE-2024-40973 actively exploited?

No. CVE-2024-40973 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.