Null Pointer Dereference in hwmon (w83791d) Package
Summary
GSD-2021-1001735: hwmon: (w83791d) Fix NULL pointer dereference by removing unnecessary structure field. Affects Kernel versions < 16887ae4e3defd2c4e7913b6c539f33eaf4eac5c. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The hwmon package is a component of the Linux Kernel ecosystem. It provides hardware monitoring functionality for various sensors and devices. One of the modules in this package is w83791d, which specifically handles monitoring for the W83791D chip. This chip is commonly found on motherboards and provides sensor readings for temperature, voltage, and fan speeds. The w83791d module allows users to access and manage these sensor readings through the Linux Kernel.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified in the w83791d module of the hwmon package is a null pointer dereference issue. This occurs due to the presence of an unnecessary structure field that can lead to a NULL pointer being accessed. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious input that triggers the null pointer dereference, resulting in a system crash or other unintended behavior. The impact and attack plausibility of this vulnerability have not been proven yet.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
No workaround has been provided for this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The null pointer dereference vulnerability in the hwmon (w83791d) package has been addressed in the Linux Kernel version v5.14.10. Users are advised to update their Linux Kernel to this version or later to mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for Kernel →
FAQ
The hwmon package is a component of the Linux Kernel ecosystem that provides hardware monitoring functionality for various sensors and devices.
The w83791d module is a part of the hwmon package and specifically handles monitoring for the W83791D chip, which is commonly found on motherboards and provides sensor readings for temperature, voltage, and fan speeds.
A null pointer dereference occurs when a program attempts to access or manipulate memory using a null pointer, resulting in a crash or unintended behavior.
The impact of this vulnerability is not yet proven. However, it could potentially lead to a system crash or other unintended behavior if exploited by an attacker.
To fix this vulnerability, users should update their Linux Kernel to version v5.14.10 or later, which includes the necessary fix for the null pointer dereference issue in the w83791d module.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for Kernel.
