Local privilege escalation via stale netdevice reference
Published Apr 4, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel netfilter allows local users to gain root privileges via nftables and network-device operations. An inet ingress base chain retains its raw net_device pointer after NETDEV_UNREGISTER, so later chain dumps or deletion dereference reclaimed kernel memory. A low-privileged local user needs user namespaces and CONFIG_NF_TABLES, then can obtain CAP_NET_ADMIN in a new network namespace to leak kernel data, panic the kernel, or execute code as root.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel netfilter allows local users to gain root privileges via nftables and network-device operations. An inet ingress base chain retains its raw net_device pointer after NETDEV_UNREGISTER, so later chain dumps or deletion dereference reclaimed kernel memory. A low-privileged local user needs user namespaces and CONFIG_NF_TABLES, then can obtain CAP_NET_ADMIN in a new network namespace to leak kernel data, panic the kernel, or execute code as root.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26808
- Published
- Apr 4, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 4, 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
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.
- Affected versionversion=5.10
- Affected versionversion=60a3815da702fd9e4759945f26cce5c47d3967ad <01acb2e8666a6529697141a6017edbf206921913
- Affected versionversion=60a3815da702fd9e4759945f26cce5c47d3967ad <36a0a80f32209238469deb481967d777a3d539ee
- Affected versionversion=60a3815da702fd9e4759945f26cce5c47d3967ad <70f17b48c86622217a58d5099d29242fc9adac58
- Affected versionversion=60a3815da702fd9e4759945f26cce5c47d3967ad <9489e214ea8f2a90345516016aa51f2db3a8cc2f
- Affected versionversion=60a3815da702fd9e4759945f26cce5c47d3967ad <af149a46890e8285d1618bd68b8d159bdb87fdb3
- Affected versionversion=60a3815da702fd9e4759945f26cce5c47d3967ad <e5888acbf1a3d8d021990ce6c6061fd5b2bb21b4
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
- kernelCTF CVE-2024-26808 local privilege-escalation exploitfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo