# CVE-2024-26849: netlink: add nla be16/32 types to minlen array

> A missing validation check in the Linux kernel netlink subsystem allows attackers to read uninitialized memory, potentially disclosing sensitive kernel data.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Apr 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-26849, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-26849, GHSA-9vx2-7qpg-xf7m, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-26849

## What is CVE-2024-26849?

CVE-2024-26849 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Apr 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netlink: add nla be16/32 types to minlen array

BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in nla_validate_range_unsigned lib/nlattr.c:222 [inline]
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in nla_validate_int_range lib/nlattr.c:336 [inline]
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in validate_nla lib/nlattr.c:575 [inline]
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in __nla_validate_parse+0x2e20/0x45c0 lib/nlattr.c:631
 nla_validate_range_unsigned lib/nlattr.c:222 [inline]
 nla_validate_int_range lib/nlattr.c:336 [inline]
 validate_nla lib/nlattr.c:575 [inline]
...

The message in question matches this policy:

 [NFTA_TARGET_REV]       = NLA_POLICY_MAX(NLA_BE32, 255),

but because NLA_BE32 size in minlen array is 0, the validation
code will read past the malformed (too small) attribute.

Note: Other attributes, e.g. BITFIELD32, SINT, UINT.. are also missing:
those likely should be added too.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-26849?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-26849?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-26849 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26849 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-26849 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-26849 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Apr 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26849 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26849/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26849/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-26849
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26849
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-26849

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26849/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.