Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-26861 is a Linux kernel WireGuard receive-path data-race report found by Syzkaller/KCSAN. The published fix adds explicit READ_ONCE and WRITE_ONCE annotations around a counter access. The source bundle does not describe customer-visible impact, active exploitation, or a standalone workaround.
Executive priority
Handle through normal kernel patch governance unless your environment relies heavily on WireGuard appliances or affected embedded products. There is no source-backed evidence of active exploitation, but kernel networking fixes still deserve timely maintenance-window deployment.
Technical view
The issue is a concurrent read/write around keypair->receiving_counter.counter in drivers/net/wireguard/receive.c, observed between wg_packet_decrypt_worker and wg_packet_rx_poll. Linux stable commits annotate the intentional race with READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE. No CVSS, CWE, exploitability detail, or KEV listing is provided in the bundle.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on systems running affected Linux kernel versions with WireGuard enabled or loaded. The bundle lists Linux kernel affected versions and stable commit references, but does not identify application-layer products beyond downstream advisories from Debian LTS and Siemens.
Exploitation context
The source bundle reports automated race detection, not real-world exploitation. KEV is false, and no cited source claims active exploitation or public weaponization. Treat this as a kernel maintenance and assurance issue unless vendor guidance assigns higher impact for a specific product.
Researcher notes
The evidence supports a KCSAN-detected WireGuard receive counter data race and an annotation-based fix. The bundle does not establish confidentiality, integrity, or availability impact, so avoid overstating exploitability. Product impact should be validated against downstream vendor advisories and kernel backport metadata.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade to a vendor kernel containing the referenced Linux stable fixes.
- For Debian LTS systems, review and apply the Debian advisory guidance.
- For Siemens products, follow the linked Siemens ProductCERT advisory.
- If no vendor package is available, monitor vendor kernel guidance for backported fixes.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across WireGuard-capable hosts and appliances.
- Check whether WireGuard is enabled, configured, or loaded on exposed systems.
- Confirm installed kernels include the relevant stable fix commit or vendor backport.
- Review Debian and Siemens advisories for affected downstream product mapping.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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-2024-26861 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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.
SSVC decision data
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f87884e0dffd61b47e58bc6e1e2f6843c212b0ccCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d691be84ab898cf136a35176eaf2f8fc116563f0CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/45a83b220c83e3c326513269afbf69ae6fc65cceCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78739d72f16b2d7d549f713f1dfebd678d32484bCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f94da807fe1668b9830f0eefbbf7e887b0a7bc6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fdf16de078a97bf14bb8ee2b8d47cc3d3ead09edCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bba045dc4d996d03dce6fe45726e78a1a1f6d4c3CVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00017.htmlCVE reference, CVE · x_transferred
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.htmlCVE reference, siemens-SADP
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.