CVE-2024-53140

Kernel memory corruption via netlink socket use-after-free

Published Dec 4, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel netlink subsystem allows local users to read or corrupt kernel memory and crash affected systems. The release path defers only a socket reference drop instead of flushing an outstanding dump, allowing another bottom-half reference release to free a still-used netlink_sock object. An ordinary unprivileged local user can control the dump, extra reference, socket close, and reference drop without user interaction, enabling memory disclosure, corruption, or a kernel panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.24%
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 the Linux kernel netlink subsystem allows local users to read or corrupt kernel memory and crash affected systems. The release path defers only a socket reference drop instead of flushing an outstanding dump, allowing another bottom-half reference release to free a still-used netlink_sock object. An ordinary unprivileged local user can control the dump, extra reference, socket close, and reference drop without user interaction, enabling memory disclosure, corruption, or a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-53140
Published
Dec 4, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

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=25d9b4bb64ea964769087fc5ae09aee9c838d759
  2. Affected versionversion=4.4.38 <4.5
  3. Affected versionversion=4.8.14 <4.9
  4. Affected versionversion=4.9
  5. Affected versionversion=baaf0c65bc8ea9c7a404b09bc8cc3b8a1e4f18df
  6. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <114a61d8d94ae3a43b82446cf737fd757021b834
  7. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <176c41b3ca9281a9736b67c6121b03dbf0c8c08f
  8. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <1904fb9ebf911441f90a68e96b22aa73e4410505
  9. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <4e87a52133284afbd40fb522dbf96e258af52a98
  10. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <598c956b62699c3753929602560d8df322e60559
  11. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <6e3f2c512d2b7dbd247485b1dd9e43e4210a18f4
  12. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <bbc769d2fa1b8b368c5fbe013b5b096afa3c05ca
  13. Affected versionversion=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <d2fab3d66cc16cfb9e3ea1772abe6b79b71fa603

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=25d9b4bb64ea964769087fc5ae09aee9c838d759; version=4.4.38 <4.5; version=4.8.14 <4.9; version=4.9; version=baaf0c65bc8ea9c7a404b09bc8cc3b8a1e4f18df; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <114a61d8d94ae3a43b82446cf737fd757021b834; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <176c41b3ca9281a9736b67c6121b03dbf0c8c08f; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <1904fb9ebf911441f90a68e96b22aa73e4410505; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <4e87a52133284afbd40fb522dbf96e258af52a98; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <598c956b62699c3753929602560d8df322e60559; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <6e3f2c512d2b7dbd247485b1dd9e43e4210a18f4; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <bbc769d2fa1b8b368c5fbe013b5b096afa3c05ca; version=ed5d7788a934a4b6d6d025e948ed4da496b4f12e <d2fab3d66cc16cfb9e3ea1772abe6b79b71fa603

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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