CVE-2024-53120Network attack vector

Remote host crash via uninitialized rule attribute

Published Dec 2, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel net/mlx5e connection tracking allows remote attackers to crash affected hosts via network traffic. When ct_rule_add() fails, mlx5_tc_ct_entry_add_rule() dereferences the uninitialized zone_rule->attr instead of the valid attr argument. The path is reachable only on hosts using an mlx5 NIC with act_ct hardware offload; repeated triggering can panic the kernel or break the offload workqueue without disclosing or modifying data.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.66%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel net/mlx5e connection tracking allows remote attackers to crash affected hosts via network traffic. When ct_rule_add() fails, mlx5_tc_ct_entry_add_rule() dereferences the uninitialized zone_rule->attr instead of the valid attr argument. The path is reachable only on hosts using an mlx5 NIC with act_ct hardware offload; repeated triggering can panic the kernel or break the offload workqueue without disclosing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-53120
Published
Dec 2, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 2, 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=5.14
  2. Affected versionversion=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <06dc488a593020bd2f006798557d2a32104d8359
  3. Affected versionversion=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <0c7c70ff8b696cfedba350411dca736361ef9a0f
  4. Affected versionversion=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <6030f8bd7902e9e276a0edc09bf11979e4e2bc2e
  5. Affected versionversion=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <882f392d9e3649557e71efd78ae20c86039ffb7c
  6. Affected versionversion=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <e99c6873229fe0482e7ceb7d5600e32d623ed9d9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.14; version=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <06dc488a593020bd2f006798557d2a32104d8359; version=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <0c7c70ff8b696cfedba350411dca736361ef9a0f; version=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <6030f8bd7902e9e276a0edc09bf11979e4e2bc2e; version=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <882f392d9e3649557e71efd78ae20c86039ffb7c; version=7fac5c2eced36f335ee19ff316bd3182fbeda823 <e99c6873229fe0482e7ceb7d5600e32d623ed9d9

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.5Linux Kernel CVE TeamCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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