Kernel crash via unchecked flow-key pointer offset
Published Feb 22, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Out-of-bounds access in the Linux kernel eBPF verifier allows local users to crash the kernel through a crafted flow-dissector program. check_flow_keys_access() validates only a fixed offset but permits variable-offset arithmetic on PTR_TO_FLOW_KEYS, allowing the pointer to move beyond the flow_keys object. Local access and permission to load the affected BPF program are required; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel page fault and service crash.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds access in the Linux kernel eBPF verifier allows local users to crash the kernel through a crafted flow-dissector program. check_flow_keys_access() validates only a fixed offset but permits variable-offset arithmetic on PTR_TO_FLOW_KEYS, allowing the pointer to move beyond the flow_keys object. Local access and permission to load the affected BPF program are required; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel page fault and service crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26589
- Published
- Feb 22, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-119, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 22, 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=d58e468b1112dcd1d5193c0a89ff9f98b5a3e8b9 <1b500d5d6cecf98dd6ca88bc9e7ae1783c83e6d3
- Affected versionversion=d58e468b1112dcd1d5193c0a89ff9f98b5a3e8b9 <22c7fa171a02d310e3a3f6ed46a698ca8a0060ed
- Affected versionversion=d58e468b1112dcd1d5193c0a89ff9f98b5a3e8b9 <29ffa63f21bcdcef3e36b03cccf9d0cd031f6ab0
- Affected versionversion=d58e468b1112dcd1d5193c0a89ff9f98b5a3e8b9 <4108b86e324da42f7ed425bd71632fd844300dc8
- Affected versionversion=d58e468b1112dcd1d5193c0a89ff9f98b5a3e8b9 <e8d3872b617c21100c5ee4f64e513997a68c2e3d
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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