LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2024-26789: crypto: arm64/neonbs - fix out-of-bounds access on short input

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: arm64/neonbs - fix out-of-bounds access on short input The bit-sliced implementation of AES-CTR operates on blocks of 128 bytes, and will fall back to the plain NEON version for tail blocks or inputs that are shorter than 128 bytes to begin with. It will call straight into the plain NEON asm helper, which performs all memory accesses in granules of 16 bytes (the size of a NEON register). For this reason, the associated plain NEON glue code will copy inputs shorter than 16 bytes into a temporary buffer, given that this is a rare occurrence and it is not worth the effort to work around this in the asm code. The fallback from the bit-sliced NEON version fails to take this into account, potentially resulting in out-of-bounds accesses. So clone the same workaround, and use a temp buffer for short in/outputs.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux ARM64 AES-CTR implementation can read or write beyond a buffer when processing very short input. A successful trigger could corrupt memory, crash a system, or expose data. The supplied CVSS score is 7.8, but exploitation requires local access and a reachable affected cryptographic path.

Executive priority

Treat this as a high-priority, exposure-dependent kernel update. First identify ARM64 systems running untrusted workloads, then patch confirmed affected builds through normal vendor channels. The absence of cited active exploitation reduces emergency pressure, but potential memory corruption and the 7.8 score justify timely remediation.

Technical view

The ARM64 bit-sliced NEON AES-CTR implementation falls back to a plain NEON assembly helper for short inputs. That helper accesses memory in 16-byte units, while the fallback omitted the temporary-buffer safeguard for inputs or outputs shorter than 16 bytes, creating potential out-of-bounds access. The cited kernel fixes add that safeguard.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to affected Linux versions on ARM64 systems where the NEON bit-sliced AES-CTR implementation processes attacker-influenced short buffers. The bundle lists affected version identifiers, but does not provide sufficiently clear range semantics for reliable distribution-level conclusions. Vendor kernel builds and backports must be checked individually.

Exploitation context

The supplied CVSS vector describes local, low-complexity exploitation requiring low privileges and no user interaction. CISA KEV status is false, and the supplied sources provide no evidence of active exploitation or a public working exploit. Practical reachability depends on whether a local actor can invoke the affected AES-CTR path with short input.

Researcher notes

The defect is a missing short-buffer workaround during fallback from 128-byte bit-sliced processing to a helper using 16-byte memory accesses. The sources establish the flaw and fixes, but do not establish exploitability beyond the CVSS assessment, affected distribution packages, exact trigger reachability, or observed security impact.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected ARM64 kernels to a vendor-supported build containing the applicable stable fix or backport.
  • Prioritize multi-user, container-hosting, and other ARM64 systems where untrusted local workloads can exercise kernel cryptography.
  • Consult distribution or appliance vendor guidance because the bundle does not identify package-specific fixed versions.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory ARM64 systems, running kernel versions, distribution packages, and appliance firmware.
  • Determine whether each kernel enables and can use the ARM64 NEON bit-sliced AES-CTR implementation.
  • Confirm the installed kernel contains an applicable cited fix or documented vendor backport.
  • Review vendor advisories for exact affected and fixed package versions before closing remediation.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2024-26789 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

2CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
5Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Linux
7.1CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H1.85.2CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-26789Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxfc074e130051015e39245a4241956ff122e2f465, fc074e130051015e39245a4241956ff122e2f465, fc074e130051015e39245a4241956ff122e2f465, fc074e130051015e39245a4241956ff122e2f465unaffected
LinuxLinux5.18, 0, 6.1.81, 6.6.21, 6.7.9, 6.8affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.