Local privilege escalation via catch-all element double free
Published Jan 31, 2024 · Updated May 29, 2025
Use-after-free in Linux Kernel 5.13 through 6.7 allows local users to gain root privileges through crafted nf_tables transactions. nft_setelem_catchall_deactivate() tests a catch-all element against the current generation, marks it inactive only for the next generation, and can free the same element twice when two deletions share a batch. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace with CONFIG_NETFILTER and CONFIG_NF_TABLES enabled; successful heap reuse grants root code execution, while failed attempts can crash the system.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux Kernel 5.13 through 6.7 allows local users to gain root privileges through crafted nf_tables transactions. nft_setelem_catchall_deactivate() tests a catch-all element against the current generation, marks it inactive only for the next generation, and can free the same element twice when two deletions share a batch. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace with CONFIG_NETFILTER and CONFIG_NF_TABLES enabled; successful heap reuse grants root code execution, while failed attempts can crash the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-1085
- Published
- Jan 31, 2024
- Updated
- May 29, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 31, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 29, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=5.13 <6.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
- Google Security Research kernelCTF exploit for CVE-2024-1085functional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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