Linux · Linux Kernel · CVE-2024-44976
**Name of the Vulnerable Software and Affected Versions**
Linux kernel (affected versions not specified)
**Description**
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel has been resolved, specifically in the `ata: pata macio` component. The issue was caused by a commit that increased `max segment size` to 64KB, which led to a DMA table overflow when a sufficiently large request was made. This overflow triggered a `BUG ON()` exception, causing the system to crash. The bug was reported by Kolbjørn and Jonáš, who experienced crashes on their 32-bit PowerMacs. The vulnerability can be exploited when the request size exceeds the limit set by `max sectors kb`, which can be increased by some distros using udev rules.
**Recommendations**
To fix the bug for 4KB kernels, revert to the old `max segment size`.
For 64KB kernels, halve the `sg tablesize` to allow for the possibility that each `sg` will be split into two commands.