How severe is CVE-2024-40966?

CVE-2024-40966 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2024-40966 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (21st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-40966?

CVE-2024-40966 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2024-40966?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

Does CVE-2024-40966 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2024-40966 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-38763.

When was CVE-2024-40966 published?

CVE-2024-40966 was published on 2024-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2024-40966

CVE-2024-40966 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (21st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2024-38763
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2024-07-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tty: add the option to have a tty reject a new ldisc ... and use it to limit the virtual terminals to just N_TTY. They are kind of special, and in particular, the "con_write()" routine violates the "writes cannot sleep" rule that some ldiscs rely on. This avoids the BUG: sleeping function called from invalid context at kernel/printk/printk.c:2659 when N_GSM has been attached to a virtual console, and gsmld_write() calls con_write() while holding a spinlock, and con_write() then tries to get the console lock.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-40966?: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tty: add the option to have a tty reject a new ldisc ... and use it to limit the virtual terminals to just N_TTY. They are kind of special, and in particular, the "con_write()" routine violates the "writes cannot sleep" rule that some ldiscs rely on. This avoids the BUG: sleeping function called from invalid context at kernel/printk/printk.c:2659 when N_GSM has been attached to a virtual console, and gsmld_write() calls con_write() while holding a spinlock, and con_write() then tries to get the console lock.
How severe is CVE-2024-40966?: CVE-2024-40966 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2024-40966 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (21st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2024-40966?: CVE-2024-40966 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2024-40966?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2024-40966 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2024-40966 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-38763.
When was CVE-2024-40966 published?: CVE-2024-40966 was published on 2024-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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