Kernel memory corruption via stale namespace pointer
Published Apr 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel devlink allows local users to read or corrupt kernel memory through generic Netlink queries. During devlink_init(), registering the generic Netlink family before per-network operations can leave devlink objects holding a freed struct net pointer if later registration fails. An unprivileged local user can reach that pointer through DEVLINK_CMD get or dump handlers; exploitation requires the rare boot-time failure and can disclose memory, corrupt kernel state, or panic the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel devlink allows local users to read or corrupt kernel memory through generic Netlink queries. During devlink_init(), registering the generic Netlink family before per-network operations can leave devlink objects holding a freed struct net pointer if later registration fails. An unprivileged local user can reach that pointer through DEVLINK_CMD get or dump handlers; exploitation requires the rare boot-time failure and can disclose memory, corrupt kernel state, or panic the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26734
- Published
- Apr 3, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, CWE-401, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 3, 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=6.3
- Affected versionversion=687125b5799cd5120437fa455cfccbe8537916ff <919092bd5482b7070ae66d1daef73b600738f3a2
- Affected versionversion=687125b5799cd5120437fa455cfccbe8537916ff <def689fc26b9a9622d2e2cb0c4933dd3b1c8071c
- Affected versionversion=687125b5799cd5120437fa455cfccbe8537916ff <e91d3561e28d7665f4f837880501dc8755f635a9
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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