CVE-2024-42098: crypto: ecdh - explicitly zeroize private_key
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2024-42098 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.21% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 11.3% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 5.5, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 29 · Related 28Timeline
- 29-07-2024PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 11-05-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: ecdh - explicitly zeroize private_key private_key is overwritten with the key parameter passed in by the caller (if present), or alternatively a newly generated private key. However, it is possible that the caller provides a key (or the newly generated key) which is shorter than the previous key. In that scenario, some key material from the previous key would not be overwritten. The easiest solution is to explicitly zeroize the entire private_key array first. Note that this patch slightly changes the behavior of this function: previously, if the ecc_gen_privkey failed, the old private_key would remain. Now, the private_key is always zeroized. This behavior is consistent with the case where params.key is set and ecc_is_key_valid fails.
CVSS metrics
3 scores · 3 sources · 1 version- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.21%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
11%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 0.21% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeNo weakness data has been published for this record.
Affected systems
Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu130 products
- linuxAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-121.131 | < 6.8.0-48.48
- linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-awsAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-1069.75 | < 6.8.0-1018.20
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Linux2 products
- linux≥ 3c4b23901a0c766879dff680cd6bdab47bcdbbd2, < 39173b04abda87872b43c331468a4a14f8f05ce8 | ≥ 3c4b23901a0c766879dff680cd6bdab47bcdbbd2, < fd7ef325911eba1b7191b83cb580463242f2090d | ≥ 3c4b23901a0c766879dff680cd6bdab47bcdbbd2, < 80575b252ab0358b7e93895b2a510beb3cb3f975 | ≥ 3c4b23901a0c766879dff680cd6bdab47bcdbbd2, < d96187eb8e59b572a8e6a68b6a9837a867ea29df | ≥ 3c4b23901a0c766879dff680cd6bdab47bcdbbd2, < 73e5984e540a76a2ee1868b91590c922da8c24c9 | 4.8
- linux_kernel< 5.15.162 | ≥ 5.16, < 6.1.97 | ≥ 6.2, < 6.6.37 | ≥ 6.7, < 6.9.8
Debian1 product
- linux< 6.1.98-1 | < 6.9.8-1
3 vendors · 133 products
