Kernel crash via unattached BPF extension program
Published Aug 17, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
A null pointer dereference in the Linux BPF verifier allows local users to crash the kernel by loading an unattached extension program. The resolve_prog_type() helper dereferences prog->aux->dst_prog while resolving BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT even when attach_prog_fd was omitted and dst_prog is null. Triggering the fault requires local access to the bpf() system call; systems that disable unprivileged BPF restrict that path to CAP_SYS_ADMIN or CAP_BPF holders.
Summary
What happened
A null pointer dereference in the Linux BPF verifier allows local users to crash the kernel by loading an unattached extension program. The resolve_prog_type() helper dereferences prog->aux->dst_prog while resolving BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT even when attach_prog_fd was omitted and dst_prog is null. Triggering the fault requires local access to the bpf() system call; systems that disable unprivileged BPF restrict that path to CAP_SYS_ADMIN or CAP_BPF holders.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-43837
- Published
- Aug 17, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 17, 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=4a9c7bbe2ed4d2b240674b1fb606c41d3940c412 <9d40fd516aeae6779e3c84c6b96700ca76285847
- Affected versionversion=4a9c7bbe2ed4d2b240674b1fb606c41d3940c412 <b29a880bb145e1f1c1df5ab88ed26b1495ff9f09
- Affected versionversion=4a9c7bbe2ed4d2b240674b1fb606c41d3940c412 <f7866c35873377313ff94398f17d425b28b71de1
- Affected versionversion=4a9c7bbe2ed4d2b240674b1fb606c41d3940c412 <fcac5feb06f31ee4c88bca9bf98d8bc3ca7d2615
- Affected versionversion=5.18
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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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.
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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