# CVE-2024-41010: bpf: Fix too early release of tcx_entry

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF subsystem allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-43393, BELL-CVE-2024-41010, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-41010, GHSA-7rc8-rqg8-27m3, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-41010

## What is CVE-2024-41010?

CVE-2024-41010 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Jul 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:

bpf: Fix too early release of tcx_entry

Pedro Pinto and later independently also Hyunwoo Kim and Wongi Lee reported
an issue that the tcx_entry can be released too early leading to a use
after free (UAF) when an active old-style ingress or clsact qdisc with a
shared tc block is later replaced by another ingress or clsact instance.

Essentially, the sequence to trigger the UAF (one example) can be as follows:

  1. A network namespace is created
  2. An ingress qdisc is created. This allocates a tcx_entry, and
     &tcx_entry->miniq is stored in the qdisc's miniqp->p_miniq. At the
     same time, a tcf block with index 1 is created.
  3. chain0 is attached to the tcf block. chain0 must be connected to
     the block linked to the ingress qdisc to later reach the function
     tcf_chain0_head_change_cb_del() which triggers the UAF.
  4. Create and graft a clsact qdisc. This causes the ingress qdisc
     created in step 1 to be removed, thus freeing the previously linked
     tcx_entry:

     rtnetlink_rcv_msg()
       => tc_modify_qdisc()
         => qdisc_create()
           => clsact_init() [a]
         => qdisc_graft()
           => qdisc_destroy()
             => __qdisc_destroy()
               => ingress_destroy() [b]
                 => tcx_entry_free()
                   => kfree_rcu() // tcx_entry freed

  5. Finally, the network namespace is closed. This registers the
     cleanup_net worker, and during the process of releasing the
     remaining clsact qdisc, it accesses the tcx_entry that was
     already freed in step 4, causing the UAF to occur:

     cleanup_net()
       => ops_exit_list()
         => default_device_exit_batch()
           => unregister_netdevice_many()
             => unregister_netdevice_many_notify()
               => dev_shutdown()
                 => qdisc_put()
                   => clsact_destroy() [c]
                     => tcf_block_put_ext()
                       => tcf_chain0_head_change_cb_del()
                         => tcf_chain_head_change_item()
                           => clsact_chain_head_change()
                             => mini_qdisc_pair_swap() // UAF

There are also other variants, the gist is to add an ingress (or clsact)
qdisc with a specific shared block, then to replace that qdisc, waiting
for the tcx_entry kfree_rcu() to be executed and subsequently accessing
the current active qdisc's miniq one way or another.

The correct fix is to turn the miniq_active boolean into a counter. What
can be observed, at step 2 above, the counter transitions from 0->1, at
step [a] from 1->2 (in order for the miniq object to remain active during
the replacement), then in [b] from 2->1 and finally [c] 1->0 with the
eventual release. The reference counter in general ranges from [0,2] and
it does not need to be atomic since all access to the counter is protected
by the rtnl mutex. With this in place, there is no longer a UAF happening
and the tcx_entry is freed at the correct time.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-41010?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-41010?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-41010 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-41010 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-2024-41010 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-41010 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 Jul 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-2024-41010 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-2024-41010/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41010/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-41010
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-41010
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-41010

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41010/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
