# CVE-2024-36911: hv_netvsc: Don't free decrypted memory

> A flaw in the Linux kernel netvsc driver allows freeing decrypted memory, potentially exposing sensitive data or causing crashes in confidential computing environments.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 May 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-67994, BELL-CVE-2024-36911, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-36911, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2024-36911, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2024-36911, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2024-36911, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-36911

## What is CVE-2024-36911?

CVE-2024-36911 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 30 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

hv_netvsc: Don't free decrypted memory

In CoCo VMs it is possible for the untrusted host to cause
set_memory_encrypted() or set_memory_decrypted() to fail such that an
error is returned and the resulting memory is shared. Callers need to
take care to handle these errors to avoid returning decrypted (shared)
memory to the page allocator, which could lead to functional or security
issues.

The netvsc driver could free decrypted/shared pages if
set_memory_decrypted() fails. Check the decrypted field in the gpadl
to decide whether to free the memory.

Weakness: CWE-401 (Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-36911?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-36911?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-36911 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-36911 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-2024-36911 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-36911 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 30 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-36911 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-2024-36911/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-36911/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-36911
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-36911
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-36911

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-36911/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.