Kernel memory corruption via kTLS completion race
Published Feb 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Race condition in the Linux kernel kTLS transmit path allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory via crafted TLS traffic. tls_encrypt_done schedules transmit work after signaling async-crypto completion, allowing sendmsg or recvmsg teardown to free the TLS context first. A kTLS-terminating server and an attacker-controlled timing window are required; stale work can corrupt slab or timer-wheel state and panic the kernel.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in the Linux kernel kTLS transmit path allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory via crafted TLS traffic. tls_encrypt_done schedules transmit work after signaling async-crypto completion, allowing sendmsg or recvmsg teardown to free the TLS context first. A kTLS-terminating server and an attacker-controlled timing window are required; stale work can corrupt slab or timer-wheel state and panic the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26585
- Published
- Feb 21, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 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=4.20
- Affected versionversion=a42055e8d2c30d4decfc13ce943d09c7b9dad221 <196f198ca6fce04ba6ce262f5a0e4d567d7d219d
- Affected versionversion=a42055e8d2c30d4decfc13ce943d09c7b9dad221 <6db22d6c7a6dc914b12c0469b94eb639b6a8a146
- Affected versionversion=a42055e8d2c30d4decfc13ce943d09c7b9dad221 <dd32621f19243f89ce830919496a5dcc2158aa33
- Affected versionversion=a42055e8d2c30d4decfc13ce943d09c7b9dad221 <e01e3934a1b2d122919f73bc6ddbe1cdafc4bbdb
- Affected versionversion=a42055e8d2c30d4decfc13ce943d09c7b9dad221 <e327ed60bff4a991cd7a709c47c4f0c5b4a4fd57
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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