Local privilege escalation via nf_tables double free
Published Jan 31, 2024 · Updated Aug 7, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel nf_tables component before 6.8 allows local users to escalate privileges to root. nft_verdict_init accepts a positive drop error resembling NF_ACCEPT, causing nf_hook_slow to free the same packet buffer twice. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a reachable nf_tables path; successful abuse grants root privileges, while the public exploit can also panic the kernel.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel nf_tables component before 6.8 allows local users to escalate privileges to root. nft_verdict_init accepts a positive drop error resembling NF_ACCEPT, causing nf_hook_slow to free the same packet buffer twice. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a reachable nf_tables path; successful abuse grants root privileges, while the public exploit can also panic the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-1086
- Published
- Jan 31, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 7, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-416, CAPEC-233, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 31, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 30, 2024Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog listing
- Aug 7, 2026Record 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=3.15 <6.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Notselwyn CVE-2024-1086 local privilege-escalation proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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