Kernel crash via failed HEVC initialization
Published May 19, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux 6.5 MediaTek stateless HEVC decoder allows local users to crash the kernel after decoder initialization fails. The decoder stores its instance pointer in the context even when initialization fails, then deinitialization frees the object while the stale pointer remains reachable. Reaching the fault requires local access to a system using the affected MediaTek video-decoder path and a failed HEVC initialization.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux 6.5 MediaTek stateless HEVC decoder allows local users to crash the kernel after decoder initialization fails. The decoder stores its instance pointer in the context even when initialization fails, then deinitialization frees the object while the stale pointer remains reachable. Reaching the fault requires local access to a system using the affected MediaTek video-decoder path and a failed HEVC initialization.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-35921
- Published
- May 19, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 19, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=2674486aac7d9c95ceb77daf7c30f862d4295c1c <521ce0ea7418298d754494fe53263c23c4c78a8e
- Affected versionversion=2674486aac7d9c95ceb77daf7c30f862d4295c1c <97c75ee5de060d271d80109b0c47cb6008439e5b
- Affected versionversion=2674486aac7d9c95ceb77daf7c30f862d4295c1c <ec25fc3c2c1e8958a51abcfed614f81446d918c4
- Affected versionversion=6.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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