CVE-2024-26676

Kernel memory exhaustion via AF_UNIX socket cycle

Published Apr 2, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026

Memory leak in AF_UNIX garbage collection in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to exhaust kernel memory. Sending one socket's file descriptor back through its peer with MSG_OOB creates a self-cycle that __unix_gc leaves globally linked instead of freeing oob_skb. Low-privilege local access is required; repeated creation of these cycles consumes kernel memory and interrupts services.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in AF_UNIX garbage collection in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to exhaust kernel memory. Sending one socket's file descriptor back through its peer with MSG_OOB creates a self-cycle that __unix_gc leaves globally linked instead of freeing oob_skb. Low-privilege local access is required; repeated creation of these cycles consumes kernel memory and interrupts services.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-26676
Published
Apr 2, 2024
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 2, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2aab4b96900272885bc157f8b236abf1cdc02e08 <1279f9d9dec2d7462823a18c29ad61359e0a007d
  2. Affected versionversion=2aab4b96900272885bc157f8b236abf1cdc02e08 <82ae47c5c3a6b27fdc0f9e83c1499cb439c56140
  3. Affected versionversion=2aab4b96900272885bc157f8b236abf1cdc02e08 <b74aa9ce13d02b7fd37c5325b99854f91b9b4276
  4. Affected versionversion=5.15.103 <5.15.149
  5. Affected versionversion=6.1.20 <6.1.78
  6. Affected versionversion=6.2.7 <6.3
  7. Affected versionversion=6.3
  8. Affected versionversion=a59d6306263c38e5c0592ea4451ca26a0778c947
  9. Affected versionversion=ac1968ac399205fda9ee3b18f7de7416cb3a5d0d <e0e09186d8821ad59806115d347ea32efa43ca4b
  10. Affected versionversion=f3969427fb06a2c3cd6efd7faab63505cfa76e76 <4fe505c63aa3273135a57597fda761e9aecc7668

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2aab4b96900272885bc157f8b236abf1cdc02e08 <1279f9d9dec2d7462823a18c29ad61359e0a007d; version=2aab4b96900272885bc157f8b236abf1cdc02e08 <82ae47c5c3a6b27fdc0f9e83c1499cb439c56140; version=2aab4b96900272885bc157f8b236abf1cdc02e08 <b74aa9ce13d02b7fd37c5325b99854f91b9b4276; version=5.15.103 <5.15.149; version=6.1.20 <6.1.78; version=6.2.7 <6.3; version=6.3; version=a59d6306263c38e5c0592ea4451ca26a0778c947; version=ac1968ac399205fda9ee3b18f7de7416cb3a5d0d <e0e09186d8821ad59806115d347ea32efa43ca4b; version=f3969427fb06a2c3cd6efd7faab63505cfa76e76 <4fe505c63aa3273135a57597fda761e9aecc7668

Published CVSS scores

5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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