Local privilege escalation via stale netem queue accounting
Published Sep 18, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in affected Linux kernel branches allows local users to gain kernel privileges or crash the system via traffic control. netem_dequeue drops a packet returned as __NET_XMIT_STOLEN without reducing the parent queue length, leaving stale accounting that later dereferences a freed DRR class. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace and a crafted netem, DRR, and mirred topology; no user interaction is required.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in affected Linux kernel branches allows local users to gain kernel privileges or crash the system via traffic control. netem_dequeue drops a packet returned as __NET_XMIT_STOLEN without reducing the parent queue length, leaving stale accounting that later dereferences a freed DRR class. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace and a crafted netem, DRR, and mirred topology; no user interaction is required.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-46800
- Published
- Sep 18, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 18, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=3.3
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <14f91ab8d391f249b845916820a56f42cf747241
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <295ad5afd9efc5f67b86c64fce28fb94e26dc4c9
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <32008ab989ddcff1a485fa2b4906234c25dc5cd6
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <3b3a2a9c6349e25a025d2330f479bc33a6ccb54a
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <98c75d76187944296068d685dfd8a1e9fd8c4fdc
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <db2c235682913a63054e741fe4e19645fdf2d68e
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <dde33a9d0b80aae0c69594d1f462515d7ff1cb3d
- Affected versionversion=50612537e9ab29693122fab20fc1eed235054ffe <f0bddb4de043399f16d1969dad5ee5b984a64e7b
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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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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