Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A race in Linux networking can access memory after it has been freed while network devices and namespaces are being dismantled. This could cause a crash or potentially corrupt kernel memory. Exploitation requires local access according to the supplied CVSS data; the public evidence demonstrates a sanitizer-detected failure, not a successful attack.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority kernel maintenance issue, but not an internet-wide emergency. Accelerate remediation on shared compute, container hosts, and systems granting network-namespace capabilities. Apply normal change controls because kernel updates generally require rebooting. Current evidence does not establish active exploitation.
Technical view
CVE-2024-56635 is a CWE-416 use-after-free in default_operstate(). After netdev_run_todo() releases the RTNL lock, concurrent network-namespace teardown can invalidate device state before __dev_get_by_index() is called. The fix rejects NETREG_UNREGISTERED devices and adds an RTNL-lock assertion. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8: local, low privileges, no interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure applies to affected Linux kernels, particularly systems where local users or workloads can manipulate network namespaces and devices. The supplied affected-version data includes 6.2, 6.6.66, 6.12.5, and 6.13, but its range boundaries are incomplete. Confirm applicability through distribution advisories and backport records rather than version numbers alone.
Exploitation context
The issue was found by syzbot and reproduced under KASAN during concurrent device and network-namespace teardown. The bundle marks it absent from KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation or a public weaponized exploit. Practical impact beyond the demonstrated memory-safety failure remains unconfirmed in the supplied sources.
Researcher notes
The vulnerable path involves default_operstate(), rfc2863_policy(), linkwatch processing, and netdev_run_todo(). The race occurs after RTNL unlocking permits network-namespace teardown to outlive assumptions about device validity. The cited stable commits implement state checking and lock-contract enforcement. Exact affected ranges cannot be confidently reconstructed from the supplied version data.
Mitigation direction
- Install a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced fix or an equivalent distribution backport.
- Check Linux distribution advisories for precise affected package versions and reboot requirements.
- Prioritize shared, multi-user, and container-oriented hosts where network namespaces may be accessible.
- If patching is delayed, follow vendor guidance for restricting untrusted local access and namespace capabilities.
Validation and detection
- Record each host's running kernel release and distribution package build.
- Confirm the vendor package changelog includes CVE-2024-56635 or one of the referenced commits.
- Verify patched systems actually booted into the updated kernel.
- Review local-user and workload permissions that allow network namespace or device manipulation.
- Monitor kernel logs for KASAN reports, use-after-free faults, or unexplained networking-related crashes.
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.
CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-56635 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
- 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
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
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe 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.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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/3265aab0736f78bb218200b06b1abb525c316269CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/316183d58319f191e16503bc2dffa156c4442df2CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/750e51603395e755537da08f745864c93e3ce741CVE reference, Linux
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.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.