CVE-2024-44985

Kernel memory corruption via failed IPv6 head expansion

Published Sep 4, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.15 through 6.11-rc4 allows attackers to corrupt kernel memory during IPv6 packet transmission. When skb_expand_head() fails in ip6_xmit(), it frees the socket buffer while dst and idev remain usable without RCU protection. Reaching the error path requires IPv6 transmission plus a head-expansion allocation failure; public sources do not establish reliable code execution.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.15 through 6.11-rc4 allows attackers to corrupt kernel memory during IPv6 packet transmission. When skb_expand_head() fails in ip6_xmit(), it frees the socket buffer while dst and idev remain usable without RCU protection. Reaching the error path requires IPv6 transmission plus a head-expansion allocation failure; public sources do not establish reliable code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-44985
Published
Sep 4, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 4, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <124b428fe28064c809e4237b0b38e97200a8a4a8
  2. Affected versionversion=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <2d5ff7e339d04622d8282661df36151906d0e1c7
  3. Affected versionversion=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <38a21c026ed2cc7232414cb166efc1923f34af17
  4. Affected versionversion=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <975f764e96f71616b530e300c1bb2ac0ce0c2596
  5. Affected versionversion=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <fc88d6c1f2895a5775795d82ec581afdff7661d1
  6. Affected versionversion=5.15
  7. Affected versionversion=81d626b00bdba16504eeae9cc891b18e83a9471a <b3a3d5333c13a1be57499581eab4a8fc94d57f36
  8. Affected versionversion=ee6b1db17f8287b615448488fc37f42bcfe9ece6 <c47e022011719fc5727bca661d662303180535ba

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <124b428fe28064c809e4237b0b38e97200a8a4a8; version=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <2d5ff7e339d04622d8282661df36151906d0e1c7; version=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <38a21c026ed2cc7232414cb166efc1923f34af17; version=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <975f764e96f71616b530e300c1bb2ac0ce0c2596; version=0c9f227bee11910a49e1d159abe102d06e3745d5 <fc88d6c1f2895a5775795d82ec581afdff7661d1; version=5.15; version=81d626b00bdba16504eeae9cc891b18e83a9471a <b3a3d5333c13a1be57499581eab4a8fc94d57f36; version=ee6b1db17f8287b615448488fc37f42bcfe9ece6 <c47e022011719fc5727bca661d662303180535ba

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

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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