CVE-2024-24861

What it actually does

Race condition in xc4000_get_frequency() within the media/xc4000 Linux kernel driver causes return value overflow, resulting in driver malfunction or denial of service.

Why it matters to the business

Affected Linux systems may experience unexpected crashes, hardware driver failures, or loss of availability for media-related functionality, increasing operational downtime and support costs on older kernels still in use nearly three years after disclosure.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker triggers concurrent calls to xc4000_get_frequency() to exploit the race condition, forcing an integer overflow that corrupts driver state and leads to malfunction or kernel-level denial of service; no named threat actors or ransomware campaigns are associated with this issue.

How to fix it

Upgrade the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix for the xc4000 race condition; disable or blacklist the xc4000 driver module if the hardware is not required.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the running kernel version is newer than the vulnerable release, inspect source for proper locking around xc4000_get_frequency(), and confirm absence of overflow paths via code review or fuzz testing.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local user access on a Linux system using the xc4000 driver
2. Issue concurrent calls to trigger the race in xc4000_get_frequency()
3. Induce return value overflow to cause driver malfunction or DoS

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for xc4000 driver errors, frequency query failures, or unexpected overflows; monitor for repeated calls to get_frequency functions under load.

• xc4000_get_frequency
• return value overflow
• media/xc4000

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on all systems exposing the xc4000 driver
• Audit for legacy media hardware that may keep vulnerable drivers loaded
• Implement kernel module signing and restrict local access where possible