# CVE-2024-41042: netfilter: nf_tables: prefer nft_chain_validate

> A flaw in Linux kernel netfilter allows unbounded recursion during ruleset validation, causing a stack overflow and system crash.

- **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:** 29 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-41042, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-41042, GHSA-cc4v-r9c9-pp3h, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-41042

## What is CVE-2024-41042?

CVE-2024-41042 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 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:

netfilter: nf_tables: prefer nft_chain_validate

nft_chain_validate already performs loop detection because a cycle will
result in a call stack overflow (ctx->level >= NFT_JUMP_STACK_SIZE).

It also follows maps via ->validate callback in nft_lookup, so there
appears no reason to iterate the maps again.

nf_tables_check_loops() and all its helper functions can be removed.
This improves ruleset load time significantly, from 23s down to 12s.

This also fixes a crash bug. Old loop detection code can result in
unbounded recursion:

BUG: TASK stack guard page was hit at ....
Oops: stack guard page: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN
CPU: 4 PID: 1539 Comm: nft Not tainted 6.10.0-rc5+ #1
[..]

with a suitable ruleset during validation of register stores.

I can't see any actual reason to attempt to check for this from
nft_validate_register_store(), at this point the transaction is still in
progress, so we don't have a full picture of the rule graph.

For nf-next it might make sense to either remove it or make this depend
on table->validate_state in case we could catch an error earlier
(for improved error reporting to userspace).

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-41042?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-41042?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-41042 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-41042 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-2024-41042 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-41042 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 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-2024-41042 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-2024-41042/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41042/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-41042
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-41042
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-41042

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-41042/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.