CVE-2024-36909

Confidential-VM compromise via freed shared ring pages

Published May 30, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Memory corruption in Linux VMBus ring handling allows attackers controlling the host to expose or corrupt confidential-VM memory. When set_memory_decrypted() fails, the ring-buffer teardown path frees pages that remain decrypted and shared instead of retaining them according to the vmbus_gpadl decrypted flag. Exploitation requires control of the untrusted virtualization host and a failed memory-encryption transition; reallocation of the shared pages compromises guest confidentiality, integrity, or availability.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
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

Memory corruption in Linux VMBus ring handling allows attackers controlling the host to expose or corrupt confidential-VM memory. When set_memory_decrypted() fails, the ring-buffer teardown path frees pages that remain decrypted and shared instead of retaining them according to the vmbus_gpadl decrypted flag. Exploitation requires control of the untrusted virtualization host and a failed memory-encryption transition; reallocation of the shared pages compromises guest confidentiality, integrity, or availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-36909
Published
May 30, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 30, 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=5.16
  2. Affected versionversion=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <2f622008bf784a9f5dd17baa19223cc2ac30a039
  3. Affected versionversion=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <30d18df6567be09c1433e81993e35e3da573ac48
  4. Affected versionversion=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <82f9e213b124a7d2bb5b16ea35d570260ef467e0
  5. Affected versionversion=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <a9212a4e2963a7fbe3864ba33dc551d4ad8d0abb

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.16; version=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <2f622008bf784a9f5dd17baa19223cc2ac30a039; version=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <30d18df6567be09c1433e81993e35e3da573ac48; version=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <82f9e213b124a7d2bb5b16ea35d570260ef467e0; version=d4dccf353db80e209f262e3973c834e6e48ba9a9 <a9212a4e2963a7fbe3864ba33dc551d4ad8d0abb

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
9.3kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application 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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