Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2024-38618

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: timer: Set lower bound of start tick time Currently ALSA timer doesn't have the lower limit of the start t

Published Jun 19, 2024 · catalog updated Oct 23, 2026 · In the Linux kernel,

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2024-38618. EPSS is 0.65%. Act only if a listed version of In the Linux kernel, is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • The stored product name is a package slug. The name on this page is taken from the title (In the Linux kernel,).
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
Medium5.3
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.65%
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-aws · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-azure · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial · Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: timer: Set lower bound of start tick time Currently ALSA timer doesn't have the lower limit of the start tick time, and it allows a very small size, e.g. 1 tick with 1ns resolution for hrtimer. Such a situation may lead to an unexpected RCU stall, where the callback repeatedly queuing the expire update, as reported by fuzzer. This patch introduces a sanity check of the timer start tick time, so that the system returns an error when a too small start size is set. As of this patch, the lower limit is hard-coded to 100us, which is small enough but can still work somehow.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge4.8.0-28.30~16.04.1, 4.8.0-30.32~16.04.1, 4.8.0-32.34~16.04.1
  • Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux3.11.0-12.19, 3.12.0-1.3, 3.12.0-2.5
  • Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-aws4.4.0-1002.2, 4.4.0-1003.3, 4.4.0-1005.5
  • Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-azure4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1030.31~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1031.32~14.04.1
  • Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1, 4.4.0-14.30~14.04.2, 4.4.0-15.31~14.04.1
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux4.2.0-16.19, 4.2.0-17.21, 4.2.0-19.23
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws4.4.0-1001.10, 4.4.0-1003.12, 4.4.0-1004.13
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe4.15.0-1030.31~16.04.1, 4.15.0-1031.33~16.04.1, 4.15.0-1032.34~16.04.1
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-azure4.11.0-1009.9, 4.11.0-1011.11, 4.11.0-1013.13
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-gcp4.10.0-1004.4, 4.10.0-1006.6, 4.10.0-1007.7
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe4.8.0-36.36~16.04.1, 4.8.0-39.42~16.04.1, 4.8.0-41.44~16.04.1
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-kvm4.4.0-1004.9, 4.4.0-1007.12, 4.4.0-1008.13

How to fix CVE-2024-38618

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2024-38618. EPSS is 0.65%. Act only if a listed version of In the Linux kernel, is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with 4.8.0-28.30~16.04.1, 4.8.0-30.32~16.04.1, 4.8.0-32.34~16.04.1, 3.11.0-12.19, 3.12.0-1.3, 3.12.0-2.5, 4.4.0-1002.2, 4.4.0-1003.3, 4.4.0-1005.5, 4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1030.31~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1031.32~14.04.1, 4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1, 4.4.0-14.30~14.04.2, 4.4.0-15.31~14.04.1, 4.2.0-16.19, 4.2.0-17.21, 4.2.0-19.23. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS 0.65%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Jun 19, 2024 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: timer: Set lower bound of start tick time Currently ALSA timer doesn't have the lower limit of the start tick time, and it allows a very small size, e.g. 1 tick with 1ns resolution for hrtimer. Such a situation may lead to an unexpected RCU stall, where the callback repeatedly queuing the expire update, as reported by fuzzer

  2. Oct 23, 2026 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Fix available

    linux-aws-5.4 fixed in 5.4.0-1130.140~18.04.1; linux-azure-5.4 fixed in 5.4.0-1135.142~18.04.1; linux-gcp-5.4 fixed in 5.4.0-1134.143~18.04.1; linux-hwe-5.4 fixed in 5.4.0-192.212~18.04.1

  3. Oct 23, 2026 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ALSA: timer: Set lower bound of start tick time Currently ALSA timer doesn't have the lower limit of the start tick time, and it allows a very small size, e.g. 1 tick with 1ns resolution for hrtimer. Such a situation may lead to an unexpected RCU stall, where the callback repeatedly queuing the expire update, as reported by fuzzer

Sources

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 24, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.