Kernel crash via NULL prog_array detachment
Published Dec 27, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026
NULL-pointer dereference in Linux kernel BPF perf-event teardown allows local users to crash the host through inherited tracepoint events. perf_event_detach_bpf_prog removes a BPF program from the tracepoint's shared prog_array without checking whether an earlier inherited-event teardown already cleared that pointer. Reaching the fault requires low-privileged local access to create an inheritable tracepoint perf event, attach a BPF program, fork, and release both events; the consequence is a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
NULL-pointer dereference in Linux kernel BPF perf-event teardown allows local users to crash the host through inherited tracepoint events. perf_event_detach_bpf_prog removes a BPF program from the tracepoint's shared prog_array without checking whether an earlier inherited-event teardown already cleared that pointer. Reaching the fault requires low-privileged local access to create an inheritable tracepoint perf event, attach a BPF program, fork, and release both events; the consequence is a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-56665
- Published
- Dec 27, 2024
- Updated
- May 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 23, 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=0ee288e69d033850bc87abe0f9cc3ada24763d7f <978c4486cca5c7b9253d3ab98a88c8e769cb9bbd
- Affected versionversion=0ee288e69d033850bc87abe0f9cc3ada24763d7f <dfb15ddf3b65e0df2129f9756d1b4fa78055cdb3
- Affected versionversion=21db2f35fa97e4a3447f2edeb7b2569a8bfdc83b <c2b6b47662d5f2dfce92e5ffbdcac8229f321d9d
- Affected versionversion=5.15.170 <5.16
- Affected versionversion=585674b9d0d80bd7f428b1f88be13cf6d5d6f739
- Affected versionversion=6.1.115 <6.1.121
- Affected versionversion=6.11.6 <6.12
- Affected versionversion=6.12
- Affected versionversion=6.6.59 <6.6.67
- Affected versionversion=7a5c653ede645693422e43cccaa3e8f905d21c74 <842e5af282453983586e2eae3c8eaf252de5f22f
- Affected versionversion=b4007d5fe38625b8a1b8edc0f385d86527651238
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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