# CVE-2024-35899: netfilter: nf_tables: flush pending destroy work before exit_net release

> A race condition in the Linux kernel netfilter subsystem allows a use-after-free, potentially enabling local attackers to execute code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 May 2024
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-35899, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-35899, GHSA-4v6f-9gh9-62jj, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-35899

## What is CVE-2024-35899?

CVE-2024-35899 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 19 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

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

netfilter: nf_tables: flush pending destroy work before exit_net release

Similar to 2c9f0293280e ("netfilter: nf_tables: flush pending destroy
work before netlink notifier") to address a race between exit_net and
the destroy workqueue.

The trace below shows an element to be released via destroy workqueue
while exit_net path (triggered via module removal) has already released
the set that is used in such transaction.

[ 1360.547789] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x3f5/0x590 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.547861] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888140500cc0 by task kworker/4:1/152465
[ 1360.547870] CPU: 4 PID: 152465 Comm: kworker/4:1 Not tainted 6.8.0+ #359
[ 1360.547882] Workqueue: events nf_tables_trans_destroy_work [nf_tables]
[ 1360.547984] Call Trace:
[ 1360.547991]  <TASK>
[ 1360.547998]  dump_stack_lvl+0x53/0x70
[ 1360.548014]  print_report+0xc4/0x610
[ 1360.548026]  ? __virt_addr_valid+0xba/0x160
[ 1360.548040]  ? __pfx__raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x10/0x10
[ 1360.548054]  ? nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x3f5/0x590 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.548176]  kasan_report+0xae/0xe0
[ 1360.548189]  ? nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x3f5/0x590 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.548312]  nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x3f5/0x590 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.548447]  ? __pfx_nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x10/0x10 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.548577]  ? _raw_spin_unlock_irq+0x18/0x30
[ 1360.548591]  process_one_work+0x2f1/0x670
[ 1360.548610]  worker_thread+0x4d3/0x760
[ 1360.548627]  ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10
[ 1360.548640]  kthread+0x16b/0x1b0
[ 1360.548653]  ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
[ 1360.548665]  ret_from_fork+0x2f/0x50
[ 1360.548679]  ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
[ 1360.548690]  ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
[ 1360.548707]  </TASK>

[ 1360.548719] Allocated by task 192061:
[ 1360.548726]  kasan_save_stack+0x20/0x40
[ 1360.548739]  kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30
[ 1360.548750]  __kasan_kmalloc+0x8f/0xa0
[ 1360.548760]  __kmalloc_node+0x1f1/0x450
[ 1360.548771]  nf_tables_newset+0x10c7/0x1b50 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.548883]  nfnetlink_rcv_batch+0xbc4/0xdc0 [nfnetlink]
[ 1360.548909]  nfnetlink_rcv+0x1a8/0x1e0 [nfnetlink]
[ 1360.548927]  netlink_unicast+0x367/0x4f0
[ 1360.548935]  netlink_sendmsg+0x34b/0x610
[ 1360.548944]  ____sys_sendmsg+0x4d4/0x510
[ 1360.548953]  ___sys_sendmsg+0xc9/0x120
[ 1360.548961]  __sys_sendmsg+0xbe/0x140
[ 1360.548971]  do_syscall_64+0x55/0x120
[ 1360.548982]  entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x55/0x5d

[ 1360.548994] Freed by task 192222:
[ 1360.548999]  kasan_save_stack+0x20/0x40
[ 1360.549009]  kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30
[ 1360.549019]  kasan_save_free_info+0x3b/0x60
[ 1360.549028]  poison_slab_object+0x100/0x180
[ 1360.549036]  __kasan_slab_free+0x14/0x30
[ 1360.549042]  kfree+0xb6/0x260
[ 1360.549049]  __nft_release_table+0x473/0x6a0 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.549131]  nf_tables_exit_net+0x170/0x240 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.549221]  ops_exit_list+0x50/0xa0
[ 1360.549229]  free_exit_list+0x101/0x140
[ 1360.549236]  unregister_pernet_operations+0x107/0x160
[ 1360.549245]  unregister_pernet_subsys+0x1c/0x30
[ 1360.549254]  nf_tables_module_exit+0x43/0x80 [nf_tables]
[ 1360.549345]  __do_sys_delete_module+0x253/0x370
[ 1360.549352]  do_syscall_64+0x55/0x120
[ 1360.549360]  entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x55/0x5d

(gdb) list *__nft_release_table+0x473
0x1e033 is in __nft_release_table (net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c:11354).
11349           list_for_each_entry_safe(flowtable, nf, &table->flowtables, list) {
11350                   list_del(&flowtable->list);
11351                   nft_use_dec(&table->use);
11352                   nf_tables_flowtable_destroy(flowtable);
11353           }
11354           list_for_each_entry_safe(set, ns, &table->sets, list) {
11355                   list_del(&set->list);
11356                   nft_use_dec(&table->use);
11357                   if (set->flags & (NFT_SET_MAP | NFT_SET_OBJECT))
11358                           nft_map_deactivat
---truncated---

Weakness: CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-35899?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-35899?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-35899 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-35899 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-35899 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-35899 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 19 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-35899 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2024-35899/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-35899/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-35899
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-35899
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-35899

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-35899/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.