CVE-2024-57886

Kernel memory exhaustion via leaked DAMON targets

Published Jan 15, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leaks in DAMON in the Linux kernel allow local users to consume kernel memory through the privileged sysfs control interface. damon_commit_targets() allocates new damon_target objects but neither links them into the context nor releases them when damon_commit_target() fails, so every newly added target leaks. Only root-permitted DAMON sysfs control reaches this path; DAMON_RECLAIM, DAMON_LRU_SORT, and other dedicated core API users are unaffected.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leaks in DAMON in the Linux kernel allow local users to consume kernel memory through the privileged sysfs control interface. damon_commit_targets() allocates new damon_target objects but neither links them into the context nor releases them when damon_commit_target() fails, so every newly added target leaks. Only root-permitted DAMON sysfs control reaches this path; DAMON_RECLAIM, DAMON_LRU_SORT, and other dedicated core API users are unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-57886
Published
Jan 15, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.11
  2. Affected versionversion=9cb3d0b9dfce6a3258d91e6d69e418d0b4cce46a <3647932d0b3e609c762c55e8f9fe10a09776e0a7
  3. Affected versionversion=9cb3d0b9dfce6a3258d91e6d69e418d0b4cce46a <8debfc5b1aa569d3d2ac836af2553da037611c61

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.11; version=9cb3d0b9dfce6a3258d91e6d69e418d0b4cce46a <3647932d0b3e609c762c55e8f9fe10a09776e0a7; version=9cb3d0b9dfce6a3258d91e6d69e418d0b4cce46a <8debfc5b1aa569d3d2ac836af2553da037611c61

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS: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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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