CVE-2024-36281

Kernel crash via invalid mlx5 IPsec teardown

Published Jun 21, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel 6.6.8 through 6.6.32 and 6.7 through 6.9.3 allows local users to crash the kernel. The mlx5 IPsec rx_create error path calls mlx5_modify_header_dealloc for a no-longer-allocated header and leaks two status rules instead of destroying them. Reaching the path requires network-administration privileges to add an XFRM state with mlx5 IPsec offload; the resulting kernel oops interrupts the host.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel 6.6.8 through 6.6.32 and 6.7 through 6.9.3 allows local users to crash the kernel. The mlx5 IPsec rx_create error path calls mlx5_modify_header_dealloc for a no-longer-allocated header and leaks two status rules instead of destroying them. Reaching the path requires network-administration privileges to add an XFRM state with mlx5 IPsec offload; the resulting kernel oops interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-36281
Published
Jun 21, 2024
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 21, 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

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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=20af7afcd8b85a4cb413072d631bf9a6469eee3a <b0a15cde37a8388e57573686f650a17208ae1212
  2. Affected versionversion=6.6.8 <6.6.33
  3. Affected versionversion=6.7
  4. Affected versionversion=94af50c0a9bb961fe93cf0fdd14eb0883da86721 <16d66a4fa81da07bc4ed19f4e53b87263c2f8d38
  5. Affected versionversion=94af50c0a9bb961fe93cf0fdd14eb0883da86721 <cc9ac559f2e21894c21ac5b0c85fb24a5cab266c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=20af7afcd8b85a4cb413072d631bf9a6469eee3a <b0a15cde37a8388e57573686f650a17208ae1212; version=6.6.8 <6.6.33; version=6.7; version=94af50c0a9bb961fe93cf0fdd14eb0883da86721 <16d66a4fa81da07bc4ed19f4e53b87263c2f8d38; version=94af50c0a9bb961fe93cf0fdd14eb0883da86721 <cc9ac559f2e21894c21ac5b0c85fb24a5cab266c

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application 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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