CVE-2024-40966

Service interruption via unsafe virtual-console line discipline

Published Jul 12, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Denial of service in the Linux kernel allows local users to trigger a kernel BUG by attaching N_GSM to a virtual console. tty_set_ldisc accepts N_GSM for a virtual terminal, after which gsmld_write calls the sleep-capable con_write while holding a spinlock and con_write attempts to acquire the console lock. The user must control a virtual console and change its line discipline; the invalid-context sleep interrupts the system when BUG handling is fatal.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in the Linux kernel allows local users to trigger a kernel BUG by attaching N_GSM to a virtual console. tty_set_ldisc accepts N_GSM for a virtual terminal, after which gsmld_write calls the sleep-capable con_write while holding a spinlock and con_write attempts to acquire the console lock. The user must control a virtual console and change its line discipline; the invalid-context sleep interrupts the system when BUG handling is fatal.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-40966
Published
Jul 12, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
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=2.6.35
  2. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <287b569a5b914903ba7c438a3c0dbc3410ebb409
  3. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <3c6332f3bb1578b5b10ac2561247b1d6272ae937
  4. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <5920ac19964f9e20181f63b410d9200ddbf8dc86
  5. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <6bd23e0c2bb6c65d4f5754d1456bc9a4427fc59b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.35; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <287b569a5b914903ba7c438a3c0dbc3410ebb409; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <3c6332f3bb1578b5b10ac2561247b1d6272ae937; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <5920ac19964f9e20181f63b410d9200ddbf8dc86; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <6bd23e0c2bb6c65d4f5754d1456bc9a4427fc59b

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.

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

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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