# CVE-2024-56655: netfilter: nf_tables: do not defer rule destruction via call_rcu

> A race condition in Linux kernel netfilter allows attackers to trigger a kernel warning and potential denial of service via improper rule destruction.

- **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:** 27 Dec 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-55300, BELL-CVE-2024-56655, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-56655, GHSA-4xh3-3533-7mmv, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-56655

## What is CVE-2024-56655?

CVE-2024-56655 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Dec 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: do not defer rule destruction via call_rcu

nf_tables_chain_destroy can sleep, it can't be used from call_rcu
callbacks.

Moreover, nf_tables_rule_release() is only safe for error unwinding,
while transaction mutex is held and the to-be-desroyed rule was not
exposed to either dataplane or dumps, as it deactives+frees without
the required synchronize_rcu() in-between.

nft_rule_expr_deactivate() callbacks will change ->use counters
of other chains/sets, see e.g. nft_lookup .deactivate callback, these
must be serialized via transaction mutex.

Also add a few lockdep asserts to make this more explicit.

Calling synchronize_rcu() isn't ideal, but fixing this without is hard
and way more intrusive.  As-is, we can get:

WARNING: .. net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c:5515 nft_set_destroy+0x..
Workqueue: events nf_tables_trans_destroy_work
RIP: 0010:nft_set_destroy+0x3fe/0x5c0
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x6b7/0xad0
 process_one_work+0x64a/0xce0
 worker_thread+0x613/0x10d0

In case the synchronize_rcu becomes an issue, we can explore alternatives.

One way would be to allocate nft_trans_rule objects + one nft_trans_chain
object, deactivate the rules + the chain and then defer the freeing to the
nft destroy workqueue.  We'd still need to keep the synchronize_rcu path as
a fallback to handle -ENOMEM corner cases though.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-56655?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-56655?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-56655 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-56655 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-2024-56655 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-56655 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Dec 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-2024-56655 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-2024-56655/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-56655/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-56655
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-56655
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-56655

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-56655/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.