Local integrity compromise via invalid socket pointer assumption
Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
A BPF verifier flaw in Linux kernel 6.4 through affected branches allows local users to compromise kernel integrity via crafted BPF. In kernel/bpf/verifier.c, the verifier treats a trusted, non-NULL struct socket as proof that socket->sk is also valid, although the field can remain NULL when a newly created socket reaches the LSM socket_accept hook. Reachability requires local access capable of loading and exercising the relevant BPF LSM program; the upstream notice does not publish a complete exploit sequence.
Summary
What happened
A BPF verifier flaw in Linux kernel 6.4 through affected branches allows local users to compromise kernel integrity via crafted BPF. In kernel/bpf/verifier.c, the verifier treats a trusted, non-NULL struct socket as proof that socket->sk is also valid, although the field can remain NULL when a newly created socket reaches the LSM socket_accept hook. Reachability requires local access capable of loading and exercising the relevant BPF LSM program; the upstream notice does not publish a complete exploit sequence.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-38566
- Published
- Jun 19, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=6.4
- Affected versionversion=6fcd486b3a0a628c41f12b3a7329a18a2c74b351 <0db63c0b86e981a1e97d2596d64ceceba1a5470e
- Affected versionversion=6fcd486b3a0a628c41f12b3a7329a18a2c74b351 <39f8a29330f433000e716eefc4b9abda05b71a82
- Affected versionversion=6fcd486b3a0a628c41f12b3a7329a18a2c74b351 <6f5ae91172a93abac9720ba94edf3ec8f4d7f24f
- Affected versionversion=6fcd486b3a0a628c41f12b3a7329a18a2c74b351 <c58ccdd2483a1d990748cdaf94206b5d5986a001
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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