# CVE-2024-43873: vhost/vsock: always initialize seqpacket_allow

> An uninitialized variable in the Linux kernel vhost/vsock module can lead to a null pointer dereference and denial of service.

- **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:** 21 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-48504, BELL-CVE-2024-43873, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-43873, GHSA-rjp6-gjq7-25v6, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-43873

## What is CVE-2024-43873?

CVE-2024-43873 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 Aug 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:

vhost/vsock: always initialize seqpacket_allow

There are two issues around seqpacket_allow:
1. seqpacket_allow is not initialized when socket is
   created. Thus if features are never set, it will be
   read uninitialized.
2. if VIRTIO_VSOCK_F_SEQPACKET is set and then cleared,
   then seqpacket_allow will not be cleared appropriately
   (existing apps I know about don't usually do this but
    it's legal and there's no way to be sure no one relies
    on this).

To fix:
	- initialize seqpacket_allow after allocation
	- set it unconditionally in set_features

Weakness: CWE-909 (Missing Initialization of Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-43873?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-43873?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-43873 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-43873 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-2024-43873 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-43873 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 Aug 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-2024-43873 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-2024-43873/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43873/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-43873
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-43873
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43873

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43873/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.