Local denial of service via TCP-AO memory leak
Published Jul 12, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Memory leak in Linux kernel 6.7 through 6.9.6 and 6.10-rc1 through 6.10-rc4 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory. The tcp_ao_info_cmd function allocates ao_info but returns EKEYREJECTED directly when TCP_AO_CMDF_AO_REQUIRED verification fails, bypassing its cleanup path. A local low-privileged user must submit the failing TCP-AO socket command; repetition depletes kernel memory and can interrupt service.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in Linux kernel 6.7 through 6.9.6 and 6.10-rc1 through 6.10-rc4 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory. The tcp_ao_info_cmd function allocates ao_info but returns EKEYREJECTED directly when TCP_AO_CMDF_AO_REQUIRED verification fails, bypassing its cleanup path. A local low-privileged user must submit the failing TCP-AO socket command; repetition depletes kernel memory and can interrupt service.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-40985
- 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
- Jul 12, 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=0aadc73995d08f6b0dc061c14a564ffa46f5914e <ebaa7d3c26332330a48f9a15f8e518d526cc0f21
- Affected versionversion=0aadc73995d08f6b0dc061c14a564ffa46f5914e <f9ae848904289ddb16c7c9e4553ed4c64300de49
- Affected versionversion=6.7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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