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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2024-40960: Linux kernel · ipv6: prevent possible NULL dereference in rt6_probe()

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 5.4.0-1132.142~18.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 11:01 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
5.5Medium
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
Patch
Available – fixed in 5.4.0-1132.142~18.04.1, 5.4.0-1137.144~18.04.1, 5.4.0-1136.145~18.04.1 +71
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 12 Jul 2024

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-44.44
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-44.44
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1015.16
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1015.16
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1014.16
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1014.16
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1014.16
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1014.16
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1010.13
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1010.13
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-ibmpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-ibm?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1012.12
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1012.12

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

A patch is available and has been released in multiple Linux kernel versions including 5.4.0-1132.142~18.04.1 and later. Users and administrators should apply these official kernel updates to remediate the issue. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond updating to a fixed kernel version.

Description

CVE-2024-40960 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPv6 implementation where a NULL pointer dereference can occur in the rt6_probe() function. This flaw was detected by syzbot and involves a failure to handle a NULL return from the __in6_dev_get() function, which can lead to a kernel crash (general protection fault). The issue has been addressed in multiple patched Linux kernel versions.

References

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