Local kernel crash via stale release drvdata
Published Dec 27, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
A release-path flaw in the Linux kernel's UML vector driver allows local users to crash affected kernels by removing a vector device. The vector_device_release function calls dev_get_drvdata after driver data is unavailable, then dereferences the resulting invalid vector_device pointer instead of deriving the enclosing object. Local low-privileged access to a User Mode Linux instance with a removable vector network device is required, and successful triggering causes a kernel panic rather than data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
A release-path flaw in the Linux kernel's UML vector driver allows local users to crash affected kernels by removing a vector device. The vector_device_release function calls dev_get_drvdata after driver data is unavailable, then dereferences the resulting invalid vector_device pointer instead of deriving the enclosing object. Local low-privileged access to a User Mode Linux instance with a removable vector network device is required, and successful triggering causes a kernel panic rather than data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-53181
- Published
- Dec 27, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 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=4.17
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <12f52e373d63f008ee386f371bdd82a3a3779199
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <35f8f72b45791a6a71b81140c59d02a6183b6f3b
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <376c7f0beb8f6f3800fc3013ef2f422d0cbfbf92
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <51b39d741970742a5c41136241a9c48ac607cf82
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <8204dd589c4f25a7618eece5da3f0871e02af8ae
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <8ed7793f6f589b4e1f0b38f8448578d2a48f9c82
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <bef9a2835011668c221851a7572b6c8433087f85
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <dc5251b1af5c9a0749322bf58bd5aa673f545fe2
- Affected versionversion=49da7e64f33e80edffb1a9eeb230fa4c3f42dffb <e9d36f7e71a907ec507f84ee5d60a622c345cac4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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