CVE-2024-26957 — s390/zcrypt: fix reference counting on zcrypt card objects
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/zcrypt: fix reference counting on zcrypt card objects Tests with hot-plugging crytpo cards on KVM guests with debug kernel build revealed an use after free for the load field of the struct zcrypt_card. The reason was an incorrect reference handling of the zcrypt card object which could lead to a free of the zcrypt card object while it was still in use. This is an example of the slab message: kernel: 0x00000000885a7512-0x00000000885a7513 @offset=1298. First byte 0x68 instead of 0x6b kernel: Allocated in zcrypt_card_alloc+0x36/0x70 [zcrypt] age=18046 cpu=3 pid=43 kernel: kmalloc_trace+0x3f2/0x470 kernel: zcrypt_card_alloc+0x36/0x70 [zcrypt] kernel: zcrypt_cex4_card_probe+0x26/0x380 [zcrypt_cex4] kernel: ap_device_probe+0x15c/0x290 kernel: really_probe+0xd2/0x468 kernel: driver_probe_device+0x40/0xf0 kernel: __device_attach_driver+0xc0/0x140 kernel: bus_for_each_drv+0x8c/0xd0 kernel: __device_attach+0x114/0x198 kernel: bus_probe_device+0xb4/0xc8 kernel: device_add+0x4d2/0x6e0 kernel: ap_scan_adapter+0x3d0/0x7c0 kernel: ap_scan_bus+0x5a/0x3b0 kernel: ap_scan_bus_wq_callback+0x40/0x60 kernel: process_one_work+0x26e/0x620 kernel: worker_thread+0x21c/0x440 kernel: Freed in zcrypt_card_put+0x54/0x80 [zcrypt] age=9024 cpu=3 pid=43 kernel: kfree+0x37e/0x418 kernel: zcrypt_card_put+0x54/0x80 [zcrypt] kernel: ap_device_remove+0x4c/0xe0 kernel: device_release_driver_internal+0x1c4/0x270 kernel: bus_remove_device+0x100/0x188 kernel: device_del+0x164/0x3c0 kernel: device_unregister+0x30/0x90 kernel: ap_scan_adapter+0xc8/0x7c0 kernel: ap_scan_bus+0x5a/0x3b0 kernel: ap_scan_bus_wq_callback+0x40/0x60 kernel: process_one_work+0x26e/0x620 kernel: worker_thread+0x21c/0x440 kernel: kthread+0x150/0x168 kernel: __ret_from_fork+0x3c/0x58 kernel: ret_from_fork+0xa/0x30 kernel: Slab 0x00000372022169c0 objects=20 used=18 fp=0x00000000885a7c88 flags=0x3ffff00000000a00(workingset|slab|node=0|zone=1|lastcpupid=0x1ffff) kernel: Object 0x00000000885a74b8 @offset=1208 fp=0x00000000885a7c88 kernel: Redzone 00000000885a74b0: bb bb bb bb bb bb bb bb ........ kernel: Object 00000000885a74b8: 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk kernel: Object 00000000885a74c8: 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk kernel: Object 00000000885a74d8: 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk kernel: Object 00000000885a74e8: 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk kernel: Object 00000000885a74f8: 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk kernel: Object 00000000885a7508: 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 68 4b 6b 6b 6b a5 kkkkkkkkkkhKkkk. kernel: Redzone 00000000885a7518: bb bb bb bb bb bb bb bb ........ kernel: Padding 00000000885a756c: 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a 5a ZZZZZZZZZZZZ kernel: CPU: 0 PID: 387 Comm: systemd-udevd Not tainted 6.8.0-HF #2 kernel: Hardware name: IBM 3931 A01 704 (KVM/Linux) kernel: Call Trace: kernel: [<00000000ca5ab5b8>] dump_stack_lvl+0x90/0x120 kernel: [<00000000c99d78bc>] check_bytes_and_report+0x114/0x140 kernel: [<00000000c99d53cc>] check_object+0x334/0x3f8 kernel: [<00000000c99d820c>] alloc_debug_processing+0xc4/0x1f8 kernel: [<00000000c99d852e>] get_partial_node.part.0+0x1ee/0x3e0 kernel: [<00000000c99d94ec>] ___slab_alloc+0xaf4/0x13c8 kernel: [<00000000c99d9e38>] __slab_alloc.constprop.0+0x78/0xb8 kernel: [<00000000c99dc8dc>] __kmalloc+0x434/0x590 kernel: [<00000000c9b4c0ce>] ext4_htree_store_dirent+0x4e/0x1c0 kernel: [<00000000c9b908a2>] htree_dirblock_to_tree+0x17a/0x3f0 kernel: ---truncated---
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+2
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Debian Debian Linux, Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 10.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Linux | Linux |
≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < 7e500849fa558879a1cde43f80c7c048c2437058version 4.10≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < 50ed48c80fecbe17218afed4f8bed005c802976c≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < 394b6d8bbdf9ddee6d5bcf3e1f3e9f23eecd6484≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < befb7f889594d23e1b475720cf93efd2f77df000≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < a64ab862e84e3e698cd351a87cdb504c7fc575ca≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < b7f6c3630eb3f103115ab0d7613588064f665d0d≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < a55677878b93e9ebc31f66d0e2fb93be5e7836a6 and 2 more≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < 6470078ab3d8f222115e11c4ec67351f3031b3dd≥ e28d2af43614eb86f59812e7221735fc221bbc10 and < 9daddee03de3f231012014dab8ab2b277a116a55 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.8 and < 6.8.3≥ 6.7 and < 6.7.12≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.24≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.84≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.154≥ 5.5 and < 5.10.215≥ 4.20 and < 5.4.274< 4.19.312 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 14, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.24%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel, debian/debian linux
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2024
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
13 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6470078ab3d8f222115e11c4ec67351f3031b3dd
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/befb7f889594d23e1b475720cf93efd2f77df000
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9daddee03de3f231012014dab8ab2b277a116a55
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/50ed48c80fecbe17218afed4f8bed005c802976c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/394b6d8bbdf9ddee6d5bcf3e1f3e9f23eecd6484
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7f6c3630eb3f103115ab0d7613588064f665d0d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e500849fa558879a1cde43f80c7c048c2437058
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a64ab862e84e3e698cd351a87cdb504c7fc575ca
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a55677878b93e9ebc31f66d0e2fb93be5e7836a6
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00017.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-7x33-7jjx-2gmh
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26957
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2024-26957 is "s390/zcrypt: fix reference counting on zcrypt card objects", rated High. It affects Debian Linux (Debian); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.24% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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