# CVE-2024-50186: net: explicitly clear the sk pointer, when pf->create fails

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel network subsystem allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via crafted socket creation failures.

- **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:** 8 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-50186, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-50186, GHSA-68xx-p949-f9wp, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-50186

## What is CVE-2024-50186?

CVE-2024-50186 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 8 Nov 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:

net: explicitly clear the sk pointer, when pf->create fails

We have recently noticed the exact same KASAN splat as in commit
6cd4a78d962b ("net: do not leave a dangling sk pointer, when socket
creation fails"). The problem is that commit did not fully address the
problem, as some pf->create implementations do not use sk_common_release
in their error paths.

For example, we can use the same reproducer as in the above commit, but
changing ping to arping. arping uses AF_PACKET socket and if packet_create
fails, it will just sk_free the allocated sk object.

While we could chase all the pf->create implementations and make sure they
NULL the freed sk object on error from the socket, we can't guarantee
future protocols will not make the same mistake.

So it is easier to just explicitly NULL the sk pointer upon return from
pf->create in __sock_create. We do know that pf->create always releases the
allocated sk object on error, so if the pointer is not NULL, it is
definitely dangling.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-50186?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-50186?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-50186 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-50186 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-2024-50186 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-50186 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 8 Nov 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-2024-50186 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-2024-50186/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50186/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-50186
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-50186
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-50186

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50186/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.