CVE-2024-47681 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically affecting the mt76 wireless driver, which supports MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets, including the mt7996 model. The flaw is a NULL pointer dereference occurring in the function mt7996_mcu_sta_bfer_he, which is responsible for adding a station (sta) interface to the mt7996 driver. A NULL pointer dereference typically results in a kernel crash or denial of service (DoS) due to the kernel attempting to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to NULL. This vulnerability was discovered through code review rather than active exploitation, and no known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The affected versions correspond to specific Linux kernel commits prior to the patch that fixed this issue. The vulnerability is rooted in the Wi-Fi driver subsystem, which is critical for wireless network connectivity on many Linux-based systems. Since the flaw causes a NULL pointer dereference, it primarily impacts system availability by potentially crashing the kernel or causing a system panic when the vulnerable code path is triggered. Exploitation would require triggering the addition of a station interface in a way that leads to the dereference, which may require local or network-level interaction depending on the system configuration and driver usage. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, but the vulnerability has been officially published and enriched by CISA, indicating recognition of its security relevance.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-47681 centers on potential denial of service conditions on Linux systems using the affected mt76 wireless drivers with the mt7996 chipset. This could disrupt wireless network connectivity, impacting business operations reliant on Wi-Fi, including remote work, IoT device communication, and critical infrastructure monitoring. Organizations in sectors such as telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, and public services that deploy Linux-based wireless devices or embedded systems with MediaTek chipsets may face operational interruptions. While the vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution, the loss of availability can still cause significant operational and reputational damage, especially in environments requiring high uptime or real-time data access. Additionally, the lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the possibility of future exploitation attempts. European entities with large-scale Linux deployments or those using custom or embedded Linux systems with MediaTek Wi-Fi hardware should be particularly vigilant.

To mitigate CVE-2024-47681, European organizations should: 1) Identify all Linux systems using the mt76 driver and specifically the mt7996 chipset by auditing hardware inventories and driver versions. 2) Apply the latest Linux kernel updates or patches that address this vulnerability as soon as they become available, ensuring that the mt76 driver code includes the fix for the NULL pointer dereference. 3) For embedded or specialized devices where kernel updates are not straightforward, coordinate with device vendors or maintainers to obtain patched firmware or kernel versions. 4) Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable devices to untrusted networks or users, reducing the risk of triggering the vulnerability remotely. 5) Monitor system logs and kernel crash reports for signs of exploitation attempts or unexpected reboots that could indicate triggering of the NULL pointer dereference. 6) Consider deploying intrusion detection systems capable of detecting anomalous wireless driver behavior or kernel panics related to this vulnerability. 7) Maintain a robust incident response plan to quickly address any denial of service incidents caused by exploitation of this flaw.