CVE-2024-40939

Kernel crash via error-pointer region cleanup

Published Jul 12, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Invalid pointer use in affected Linux kernel branches allows local users to crash the kernel during WWAN iosm region setup. When devlink_region_create returns an error pointer, ipc_devlink_create_region starts cleanup at the failed array element and passes that error-valued pointer to devlink_region_destroy. The path requires a devlink region-creation failure; the invalid destruction faults kernel cleanup, while published sources document no remote trigger.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Invalid pointer use in affected Linux kernel branches allows local users to crash the kernel during WWAN iosm region setup. When devlink_region_create returns an error pointer, ipc_devlink_create_region starts cleanup at the failed array element and passes that error-valued pointer to devlink_region_destroy. The path requires a devlink region-creation failure; the invalid destruction faults kernel cleanup, while published sources document no remote trigger.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-40939
Published
Jul 12, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 12, 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=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <040d9384870386eb5dc55472ac573ac7756b2050
  2. Affected versionversion=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <37a438704d19bdbe246d51d3749b6b3a8fe65afd
  3. Affected versionversion=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <b0c9a26435413b81799047a7be53255640432547
  4. Affected versionversion=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <fe394d59cdae81389dbf995e87c83c1acd120597
  5. Affected versionversion=5.16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <040d9384870386eb5dc55472ac573ac7756b2050; version=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <37a438704d19bdbe246d51d3749b6b3a8fe65afd; version=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <b0c9a26435413b81799047a7be53255640432547; version=4dcd183fbd67b105decc8be262311937730ccdbf <fe394d59cdae81389dbf995e87c83c1acd120597; version=5.16

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
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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