Local kernel memory corruption via dangling socket pointer
Published Dec 27, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel AF_PACKET implementation allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through failed socket creation. In packet_create(), sock_init_data() attaches the allocated packet_sock to sock->sk, but a later allocation error frees packet_sock without clearing that pointer, leaving subsequent socket cleanup to dereference freed memory. Reaching the path requires CAP_NET_RAW in the current user namespace and induced allocation failure; reuse can disclose or overwrite kernel memory, enable privilege escalation, or panic the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel AF_PACKET implementation allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through failed socket creation. In packet_create(), sock_init_data() attaches the allocated packet_sock to sock->sk, but a later allocation error frees packet_sock without clearing that pointer, leaving subsequent socket cleanup to dereference freed memory. Reaching the path requires CAP_NET_RAW in the current user namespace and induced allocation failure; reuse can disclose or overwrite kernel memory, enable privilege escalation, or panic the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-56606
- Published
- Dec 27, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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?
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- Affected versionversion=3.14
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <132e615bb1d7cdec2d3cfbdec2efa630e923fd21
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <157f08db94123e2ba56877dd0ac88908b13a5dd0
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <1dc1e1db927056cb323296e2294a855cd003dfe7
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <46f2a11cb82b657fd15bab1c47821b635e03838b
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <71b22837a5e55ac27d6a14b9cdf2326587405c4f
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <a6cf750b737374454a4e03a5ed449a3eb0c96414
- Affected versionversion=b013840810c221f2b0cf641d01531526052dc1fb <fd09880b16d33aa5a7420578e01cd79148fa9829
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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