CVE-2024-27012

Kernel memory leak via failed set deletion

Published May 1, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Memory-management error in Linux nf_tables allows local users to leak kernel memory by aborting a failed set-deletion transaction. The nft_mapelem_activate abort path walks the wrong generation of set elements, skips inactive rather than active elements, and fails to restore their reference counts and generation bits. Low-privileged local access is required, and the documented result is a kernel warning and persistent mapping-object memory leak.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory-management error in Linux nf_tables allows local users to leak kernel memory by aborting a failed set-deletion transaction. The nft_mapelem_activate abort path walks the wrong generation of set elements, skips inactive rather than active elements, and fails to restore their reference counts and generation bits. Low-privileged local access is required, and the documented result is a kernel warning and persistent mapping-object memory leak.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-27012
Published
May 1, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 1, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8 <2cf64b16ac55c42c8989d8c819e42a77549cd680
  2. Affected versionversion=3c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f50
  3. Affected versionversion=4.19.316 <4.20
  4. Affected versionversion=5.10.188 <5.11
  5. Affected versionversion=5.15.121 <5.15.212
  6. Affected versionversion=5.4.262 <5.5
  7. Affected versionversion=6.1.36 <6.1.176
  8. Affected versionversion=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <86658fc7414d4b9e25c2699d751034537503d637
  9. Affected versionversion=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <e79b47a8615d42c68aaeb68971593333667382ed
  10. Affected versionversion=6.3.10 <6.4
  11. Affected versionversion=6.4
  12. Affected versionversion=a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9
  13. Affected versionversion=bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1
  14. Affected versionversion=d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9 <faa0deee272128b95a838fe7c6ebf6a2a426df14
  15. Affected versionversion=dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8 <2cf64b16ac55c42c8989d8c819e42a77549cd680; version=3c7ec098e3b588434a8b07ea9b5b36f04cef1f50; version=4.19.316 <4.20; version=5.10.188 <5.11; version=5.15.121 <5.15.212; version=5.4.262 <5.5; version=6.1.36 <6.1.176; version=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <86658fc7414d4b9e25c2699d751034537503d637; version=628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 <e79b47a8615d42c68aaeb68971593333667382ed; version=6.3.10 <6.4; version=6.4; version=a136b7942ad2a50de708f76ea299ccb45ac7a7f9; version=bc9f791d2593f17e39f87c6e2b3a36549a3705b1; version=d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9 <faa0deee272128b95a838fe7c6ebf6a2a426df14; version=dc7cdf8cbcbf8b13de1df93f356ec04cdeef5c41

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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

No sourced classifications are available.

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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