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Azure Linux 3.0 Security Update: kernel (CVE-2024-56617)

🗓️ 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 4 Views

Azure Linux 3.0 kernel vulnerability CVE-2024-56617: cacheinfo NULL dereference during CPU hotplug.

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Code
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(295307);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/01/22");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2024-56617");

  script_name(english:"Azure Linux 3.0 Security Update: kernel (CVE-2024-56617)");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote Azure Linux host is missing one or more security updates.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of kernel installed on the remote Azure Linux 3.0 host is prior to tested version. It is, therefore,
affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the CVE-2024-56617 advisory.

  - In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cacheinfo: Allocate memory during CPU
    hotplug if not done from the primary CPU Commit 5944ce092b97 (arch_topology: Build cacheinfo from primary
    CPU) adds functionality that architectures can use to optionally allocate and build cacheinfo early
    during boot. Commit 6539cffa9495 (cacheinfo: Add arch specific early level initializer) lets secondary
    CPUs correct (and reallocate memory) cacheinfo data if needed. If the early build functionality is not
    used and cacheinfo does not need correction, memory for cacheinfo is never allocated. x86 does not use the
    early build functionality. Consequently, during the cacheinfo CPU hotplug callback,
    last_level_cache_is_valid() attempts to dereference a NULL pointer: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference,
    address: 0000000000000100 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not present
    page PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEPMT SMP NOPTI CPU: 0 PID 19 Comm: cpuhp/0 Not tainted 6.4.0-rc2 #1
    RIP: 0010: last_level_cache_is_valid+0x95/0xe0a Allocate memory for cacheinfo during the cacheinfo CPU
    hotplug callback if not done earlier. Moreover, before determining the validity of the last-level cache
    info, ensure that it has been allocated. Simply checking for non-zero cache_leaves() is not sufficient, as
    some architectures (e.g., Intel processors) have non-zero cache_leaves() before allocation. Dereferencing
    NULL cacheinfo can occur in update_per_cpu_data_slice_size(). This function iterates over all online CPUs.
    However, a CPU May have come online recently, but its cacheinfo May not have been allocated yet. While
    here, remove an unnecessary indentation in allocate_cache_info(). [ bp: Massage. ] (CVE-2024-56617)

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version
number.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-56617");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Update the affected packages.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2024-56617");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2024/12/27");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2025/03/11");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/01/22");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:bpftool");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-debuginfo");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-devel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-docs");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-accessibility");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-gpu");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-intree-amdgpu");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-sound");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-tools");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:python3-perf");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"x-cpe:/o:microsoft:azure_linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Azure Linux Local Security Checks");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/AzureLinux/release", "Host/AzureLinux/rpm-list", "Host/cpu");

  exit(0);
}
include('rpm.inc');

if (!get_kb_item('Host/local_checks_enabled')) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
var release = get_kb_item('Host/AzureLinux/release');
if (isnull(release) || 'Azure Linux' >!< release) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'Azure Linux');
var os_ver = pregmatch(pattern: "Azure Linux ([0-9]+(\.[0-9]+)?)", string:release);
if (isnull(os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_APP_VER, 'Azure Linux');
os_ver = os_ver[1];
if (! preg(pattern:"^3([^0-9]|$)", string:os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'Azure Linux 3.0', 'Azure Linux ' + os_ver);

if (!get_kb_item('Host/AzureLinux/rpm-list')) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

var cpu = get_kb_item('Host/cpu');
if (isnull(cpu)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_ARCH);
if ('x86_64' >!< cpu && cpu !~ "^i[3-6]86$" && 'aarch64' >!< cpu)
  audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED, 'Azure Linux', cpu);

var pkgs = [
    {'reference':'bpftool-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'bpftool-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-debuginfo-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-debuginfo-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-devel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-devel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-docs-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-docs-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-accessibility-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-accessibility-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-gpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-gpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-intree-amdgpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-intree-amdgpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-sound-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-sound-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-tools-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-tools-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'python3-perf-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'python3-perf-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE}
];

var flag = 0;
foreach var package_array ( pkgs ) {
  var reference = NULL;
  var _release = NULL;
  var sp = NULL;
  var _cpu = NULL;
  var el_string = NULL;
  var rpm_spec_vers_cmp = NULL;
  var epoch = NULL;
  var allowmaj = NULL;
  var exists_check = NULL;
  var cves = NULL;
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['reference'])) reference = package_array['reference'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['release'])) _release = 'Azure Linux ' + package_array['release'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['sp'])) sp = package_array['sp'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['cpu'])) _cpu = package_array['cpu'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['el_string'])) el_string = package_array['el_string'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['rpm_spec_vers_cmp'])) rpm_spec_vers_cmp = package_array['rpm_spec_vers_cmp'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['epoch'])) epoch = package_array['epoch'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['allowmaj'])) allowmaj = package_array['allowmaj'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['exists_check'])) exists_check = package_array['exists_check'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['cves'])) cves = package_array['cves'];
  if (reference && _release && (!exists_check || rpm_exists(release:_release, rpm:exists_check))) {
    if (rpm_check(release:_release, sp:sp, cpu:_cpu, reference:reference, epoch:epoch, el_string:el_string, rpm_spec_vers_cmp:rpm_spec_vers_cmp, allowmaj:allowmaj, cves:cves)) flag++;
  }
}

if (flag)
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : rpm_report_get()
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  var tested = pkg_tests_get();
  if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
  else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, 'bpftool / kernel / kernel-debuginfo / kernel-devel / kernel-docs / etc');
}

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22 Jan 2026 00:00Current
5.4Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.4
CVSS 3.15.5
EPSS0.002
SSVC
4