CVE-2024-26618: Linux kernel · arm64/sme: Always exit sme_alloc() early with existing storage
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium.
Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 00:34 UTC
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 11 Mar 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 29 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
A fix for this vulnerability has been implemented in the Linux kernel. Users should update to the fixed kernel version once available. Since no specific patch versions are provided, check the official Linux kernel advisories or vendor updates for the corrected SME implementation. No additional mitigation steps are indicated.
Description
CVE-2024-26618 is a medium-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's arm64 SME (Scalable Matrix Extension) implementation. The flaw occurs in the sme_alloc() function, which improperly allocates new storage even when existing storage is present and flushing is not required. This leads to memory leaks and state corruption. The issue has been fixed by adjusting the checks to separate flushing and existing storage conditions. No confidentiality or integrity impact is reported, but availability can be affected due to the corruption.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26618 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/569156e4fa347237f8fa2a7e935d860109c55ac4 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/814af6b4e6000e574e74d92197190edf07cc3680 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc7eb8755797ed41a0d1b5c0c39df3c8f401b3d9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6421555dbd7cb3d4d70b69f33f998aaeca1e3b5 (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/08/msg00010.html (opens in a new tab)