Two proof of concept kernel exploits have been released into the wild that exploit a newly discovered vulnerability. Kernel versions 2.6.17 to 2.6.24.1 are affected. The vulnerability is found within the vmsplice function call. This exploit effectively gives local root access on a wide range of Linux distributions.
Kernel version 2.6.24.2 fixes the issue. It’s recommended to disable all shell access until your kernel is updated, either by building from sources, or waiting for your Linux distribution to release an update.