# CVE-2024-26856: net: sparx5: Fix use after free inside sparx5_del_mact_entry

> A use-after-free flaw in the Sparx5 network driver allows attackers to potentially execute code or cause a system crash.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Apr 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-26856, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-26856, GHSA-j23x-qww2-jxhh, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-26856

## What is CVE-2024-26856?

CVE-2024-26856 is a high-severity use after free 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:

net: sparx5: Fix use after free inside sparx5_del_mact_entry

Based on the static analyzis of the code it looks like when an entry
from the MAC table was removed, the entry was still used after being
freed. More precise the vid of the mac_entry was used after calling
devm_kfree on the mac_entry.
The fix consists in first using the vid of the mac_entry to delete the
entry from the HW and after that to free it.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-26856?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-26856?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-26856 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26856 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-2024-26856 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-26856 is a high-severity use after free 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-2024-26856 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-2024-26856/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26856/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-26856
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26856
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-26856

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26856/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.