CVE-2024-36888

Kernel crash via offline CPU wake selection

Published May 30, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.6 allows local users to crash the kernel during workqueue CPU selection. The kick_pool() path chooses wake_cpu from __pod_cpumask without intersecting cpu_online_mask, then arch_vcpu_is_preempted() dereferences state for an offline CPU. Exposure requires a workqueue pool whose possible-CPU mask includes offline CPUs; reaching the path produces a kernel oops and interrupts the host.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
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 Linux kernel 6.6 allows local users to crash the kernel during workqueue CPU selection. The kick_pool() path chooses wake_cpu from __pod_cpumask without intersecting cpu_online_mask, then arch_vcpu_is_preempted() dereferences state for an offline CPU. Exposure requires a workqueue pool whose possible-CPU mask includes offline CPUs; reaching the path produces a kernel oops and interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-36888
Published
May 30, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 30, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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=6.6
  2. Affected versionversion=8639ecebc9b1796d7074751a350462f5e1c61cd4 <57a01eafdcf78f6da34fad9ff075ed5dfdd9f420
  3. Affected versionversion=8639ecebc9b1796d7074751a350462f5e1c61cd4 <6d559e70b3eb6623935cbe7f94c1912c1099777b
  4. Affected versionversion=8639ecebc9b1796d7074751a350462f5e1c61cd4 <c57824d4fe07c2131f8c48687cbd5ee2be60c767

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.6; version=8639ecebc9b1796d7074751a350462f5e1c61cd4 <57a01eafdcf78f6da34fad9ff075ed5dfdd9f420; version=8639ecebc9b1796d7074751a350462f5e1c61cd4 <6d559e70b3eb6623935cbe7f94c1912c1099777b; version=8639ecebc9b1796d7074751a350462f5e1c61cd4 <c57824d4fe07c2131f8c48687cbd5ee2be60c767
The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.6; version=8639ecebc9b1 <57a01eafdcf7; version=8639ecebc9b1 <6d559e70b3eb; version=8639ecebc9b1 <c57824d4fe07

Published CVSS scores

6.2CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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