CVE-2024-53138Network attack vector

Remote kernel memory corruption via refcount underflow

Published Dec 4, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Incorrect page refcounting in Linux net/mlx5e kTLS transmit handling allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory via retransmissions. Mixed get_page and page_ref_inc calls attach references to different pages, while mlx5e_ktls_tx_handle_resync_dump_comp releases them all through put_page on the folio page. Exposure requires an mlx5e kTLS-offloaded server sending an NFS large-folio-backed file with sendfile zero copy; forced retransmissions can disclose or overwrite memory or panic the host.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect page refcounting in Linux net/mlx5e kTLS transmit handling allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory via retransmissions. Mixed get_page and page_ref_inc calls attach references to different pages, while mlx5e_ktls_tx_handle_resync_dump_comp releases them all through put_page on the folio page. Exposure requires an mlx5e kTLS-offloaded server sending an NFS large-folio-backed file with sendfile zero copy; forced retransmissions can disclose or overwrite memory or panic the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-53138
Published
Dec 4, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.4
  2. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <2723e8b2cbd486cb96e5a61b22473f7fd62e18df
  3. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <69fbd07f17b0fdaf8970bc705f5bf115c297839d
  4. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <93a14620b97c911489a5b008782f3d9b0c4aeff4
  5. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <a0ddb20a748b122ea86003485f7992fa5e84cc95
  6. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <c7b97f9e794d8e2bbaa50e1d6c230196fd214b5e
  7. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <dd6e972cc5890d91d6749bb48e3912721c4e4b25
  8. Affected versionversion=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <ffad2ac8c859c1c1a981fe9c4f7ff925db684a43

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.4; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <2723e8b2cbd486cb96e5a61b22473f7fd62e18df; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <69fbd07f17b0fdaf8970bc705f5bf115c297839d; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <93a14620b97c911489a5b008782f3d9b0c4aeff4; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <a0ddb20a748b122ea86003485f7992fa5e84cc95; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <c7b97f9e794d8e2bbaa50e1d6c230196fd214b5e; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <dd6e972cc5890d91d6749bb48e3912721c4e4b25; version=84d1bb2b139e0184b1754aa1b5776186b475fce8 <ffad2ac8c859c1c1a981fe9c4f7ff925db684a43

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
9.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

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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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

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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