CVE-2024-5138Public exploit

Local service interruption via snapctl argument confusion

Published May 31, 2024 · Updated Sep 6, 2024

Authorization bypass in Canonical snapd allows local users to exhaust system memory by invoking privileged snapctl mount actions. The snapctl authorization parser treats a help flag after the explicit -- option terminator as a help request, allowing a non-root caller to pass the privilege check for a restricted command. Exploitation requires a confined snap with an administrator-approved mount-control connection; repeated mounts can consume memory until host availability is impaired.

CVSS severity4.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.83%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authorization bypass in Canonical snapd allows local users to exhaust system memory by invoking privileged snapctl mount actions. The snapctl authorization parser treats a help flag after the explicit -- option terminator as a help request, allowing a non-root caller to pass the privilege check for a restricted command. Exploitation requires a confined snap with an administrator-approved mount-control connection; repeated mounts can consume memory until host availability is impaired.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-5138
Published
May 31, 2024
Updated
Sep 6, 2024
Vendor
Canonical
Product
snapd
Classifications
CWE-20, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 31, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 6, 2024Record 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=0 <68ee9c6aa916ab87dbfd9a26030690f2cabf1e14

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Canonical · snapdversion=0 <68ee9c6aa916ab87dbfd9a26030690f2cabf1e14

Published CVSS scores

4.0GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
8.1CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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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