CVE-2024-36971
CVE-2024-36971 is a security flaw in Android Kernel, Google’s operating system for phones and tablets. Attackers can run their own code on Android Kernel. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 7 Aug 2024.[1]
Android Kernel is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Fixed by 8 commits to Linux, in the releases that include them.
Description
CISA calls it a remote code execution in Android Kernel. In its words: “Android contains an unspecified vulnerability in the kernel that allows for remote code execution. This vulnerability resides in Linux Kernel and could impact other products, including but not limited to Android OS.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fix __dst_negative_advice() race __dst_negative_advice() does not enforce proper RCU rules when sk->dst_cache must be cleared, leading to possible UAF. RCU rules are that we must first clear sk->sk_dst_cache, then call dst_release(old_dst). Note that sk_dst_reset(sk) is implementing this protocol correctly, while __dst_negative_advice() uses the wrong order. Given that ip6_negative_advice() has special logic against RTF_CACHE, this means each of the three ->negative_advice() existing methods must perform the sk_dst_reset() themselves. Note the check against NULL dst is centralized in __dst_negative_advice(), there is no need to duplicate it in various callbacks. Many thanks to Clement Lecigne for tracking this issue. This old bug became visible after the blamed commit, using UDP sockets.”[2]
The underlying weakness is use after free (CWE-416), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 7.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| Linux | commit 051c0bde9f04 |
| Linux | commit db0082825037 |
| Linux | commit 2295a7ef5c8c |
| Linux | commit eacb8b195579 |
| Linux | commit 81dd3c82a456 |
| Linux | commit 5af198c38712 |
| Linux | commit b8af8e6118a6 |
| Linux | commit 92f1655aa2b2 |
Every device with Android Kernel needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 7 Aug 2024, 58 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 28 Aug 2024 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 3%. That’s in the top 15% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Android has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Update Android Kernel now.On Android: Settings, then System or Software update. Phones only get these fixes while their maker still supports them. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 3%.[4] |
See also
Other Android Kernel flaws
- CVE-2021-1048: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2021-0920: race condition ·
Other Android flaws
- CVE-2025-48595, Android Framework: integer overflow ·
- CVE-2025-48633, Android Framework: information disclosure ·
- CVE-2025-48572, Android Framework: privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2025-48543, Android Runtime: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2024-43093, Android Framework: privilege escalation ·
Other use after free flaws
- CVE-2026-109619, PHP: stale internal request-state ·
- CVE-2026-109618, PHP: memory corruption ·
- CVE-2026-68820, Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2010-0249, Microsoft Internet Explorer: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2020-9715, Adobe Acrobat: use-after-free ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2024-32113, Apache OFBiz: path traversal ·
Every Android flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in August 2024
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Android Kernel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 7 Aug 2024.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2024-36971 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 10 Jun 2024.
- ^ Android. Advisories and fixes: source.android.com, lore.kernel.org, git.kernel.org, git.kernel.org, git.kernel.org, and 3 more on NVD’s record.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.027, percentile 85.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2024-36971”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.