CVE-2024-38618: Linux kernel · ALSA: timer: Set lower bound of start tick time
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 5.4.0-1130.140~18.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 11:13 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.4.0-1130.140~18.04.1, 5.4.0-1135.142~18.04.1, 5.4.0-1134.143~18.04.1 +71
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 19 Jun 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6953-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6979-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6999-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7004-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7005-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7007-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7008-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7005-2 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-ibmpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-ibm?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A patch is available and has been released in multiple Linux kernel versions including 5.4.0-1130.140~18.04.1 and later. Users should update their Linux kernel to a fixed version and reboot to apply the changes. Due to ABI changes, recompilation and reinstallation of third-party kernel modules may be required. No additional mitigation is necessary beyond applying the official kernel updates.
Description
CVE-2024-38618 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel ALSA timer subsystem where the start tick time could be set to an excessively small value, such as 1 tick with 1ns resolution. This could cause an unexpected RCU stall due to repeated callback queuing. The issue has been fixed by introducing a lower bound of 100 microseconds for the start tick time, causing the system to return an error if a smaller value is set.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2024-38618 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38618 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/4a63bd179fa8d3fcc44a0d9d71d941ddd62f0c4e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/68396c825c43664b20a3a1ba546844deb2b4e48f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/74bfb8d90f2601718ae203faf45a196844c01fa1 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bdd0aa055b8ec7e24bbc19513f3231958741d0ab (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/83f0ba8592b9e258fd80ac6486510ab1dcd7ad6e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ceab795a67dd28dd942d0d8bba648c6c0f7a044b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c95241ac5fc90c929d6c0c023e84bf0d30e84c3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/abb1ad69d98cf1ff25bb14fff0e7c3f66239e1cd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4a63bd179fa8d3fcc44a0d9d71d941ddd62f0c4e (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6953-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6951-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6979-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-6999-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7004-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7005-1 (opens in a new tab)