# CVE-2024-41040: net/sched: Fix UAF when resolving a clash
> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's network scheduler allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.
- **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:** 29 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-41040, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-41040, GHSA-g37m-wg3j-xw8v, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-41040
## What is CVE-2024-41040?
CVE-2024-41040 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Jul 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:
net/sched: Fix UAF when resolving a clash
KASAN reports the following UAF:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in tcf_ct_flow_table_process_conn+0x12b/0x380 [act_ct]
Read of size 1 at addr ffff888c07603600 by task handler130/6469
Call Trace:
dump_stack_lvl+0x48/0x70
print_address_description.constprop.0+0x33/0x3d0
print_report+0xc0/0x2b0
kasan_report+0xd0/0x120
__asan_load1+0x6c/0x80
tcf_ct_flow_table_process_conn+0x12b/0x380 [act_ct]
tcf_ct_act+0x886/0x1350 [act_ct]
tcf_action_exec+0xf8/0x1f0
fl_classify+0x355/0x360 [cls_flower]
__tcf_classify+0x1fd/0x330
tcf_classify+0x21c/0x3c0
sch_handle_ingress.constprop.0+0x2c5/0x500
__netif_receive_skb_core.constprop.0+0xb25/0x1510
__netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x220/0x4c0
netif_receive_skb_list_internal+0x446/0x620
napi_complete_done+0x157/0x3d0
gro_cell_poll+0xcf/0x100
__napi_poll+0x65/0x310
net_rx_action+0x30c/0x5c0
__do_softirq+0x14f/0x491
__irq_exit_rcu+0x82/0xc0
irq_exit_rcu+0xe/0x20
common_interrupt+0xa1/0xb0
asm_common_interrupt+0x27/0x40
Allocated by task 6469:
kasan_save_stack+0x38/0x70
kasan_set_track+0x25/0x40
kasan_save_alloc_info+0x1e/0x40
__kasan_krealloc+0x133/0x190
krealloc+0xaa/0x130
nf_ct_ext_add+0xed/0x230 [nf_conntrack]
tcf_ct_act+0x1095/0x1350 [act_ct]
tcf_action_exec+0xf8/0x1f0
fl_classify+0x355/0x360 [cls_flower]
__tcf_classify+0x1fd/0x330
tcf_classify+0x21c/0x3c0
sch_handle_ingress.constprop.0+0x2c5/0x500
__netif_receive_skb_core.constprop.0+0xb25/0x1510
__netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x220/0x4c0
netif_receive_skb_list_internal+0x446/0x620
napi_complete_done+0x157/0x3d0
gro_cell_poll+0xcf/0x100
__napi_poll+0x65/0x310
net_rx_action+0x30c/0x5c0
__do_softirq+0x14f/0x491
Freed by task 6469:
kasan_save_stack+0x38/0x70
kasan_set_track+0x25/0x40
kasan_save_free_info+0x2b/0x60
____kasan_slab_free+0x180/0x1f0
__kasan_slab_free+0x12/0x30
slab_free_freelist_hook+0xd2/0x1a0
__kmem_cache_free+0x1a2/0x2f0
kfree+0x78/0x120
nf_conntrack_free+0x74/0x130 [nf_conntrack]
nf_ct_destroy+0xb2/0x140 [nf_conntrack]
__nf_ct_resolve_clash+0x529/0x5d0 [nf_conntrack]
nf_ct_resolve_clash+0xf6/0x490 [nf_conntrack]
__nf_conntrack_confirm+0x2c6/0x770 [nf_conntrack]
tcf_ct_act+0x12ad/0x1350 [act_ct]
tcf_action_exec+0xf8/0x1f0
fl_classify+0x355/0x360 [cls_flower]
__tcf_classify+0x1fd/0x330
tcf_classify+0x21c/0x3c0
sch_handle_ingress.constprop.0+0x2c5/0x500
__netif_receive_skb_core.constprop.0+0xb25/0x1510
__netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x220/0x4c0
netif_receive_skb_list_internal+0x446/0x620
napi_complete_done+0x157/0x3d0
gro_cell_poll+0xcf/0x100
__napi_poll+0x65/0x310
net_rx_action+0x30c/0x5c0
__do_softirq+0x14f/0x491
The ct may be dropped if a clash has been resolved but is still passed to
the tcf_ct_flow_table_process_conn function for further usage. This issue
can be fixed by retrieving ct from skb again after confirming conntrack.
Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)
## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-41040?
It affects 1 product.
Products: Linux kernel.
## How do I fix CVE-2024-41040?
Apply the vendor's patch.
## Is CVE-2024-41040 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-41040 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-2024-41040 and fix it if it is affected.
What it is: CVE-2024-41040 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Jul 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-2024-41040 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-2024-41040/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41040/index.md)
```
## Sources
- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-41040
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-41040
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-41040
---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41040/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.