Linux: Double Free
CVE-2026-23162 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 32887d8e4bc0696b3cb6c5915a42b39cfd3434f4, 8a44241b0b83a6047c5448da1fff03fcc29496b5 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.14% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 32887d8e4bc0696b3cb6c5915a42b39cfd3434f4 or 8a44241b0b83a6047c5448da1fff03fcc29496b5, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.18.9 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 7926ba2143d8fef40bb940232818c7363e33598c up to, but not including, 32887d8e4bc0696b3cb6c5915a42b39cfd3434f4; 7926ba2143d8fef40bb940232818c7363e33598c up to, but not including, 8a44241b0b83a6047c5448da1fff03fcc29496b5; 6.17 | 32887d8e4bc0696b3cb6c5915a42b39cfd3434f4, 8a44241b0b83a6047c5448da1fff03fcc29496b5 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.17.1 up to, but not including, 6.18.9; 6.17; 6.19 | 6.18.9 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/xe/nvm: Fix double-free on aux add failure After a successful auxiliary_device_init(), aux_dev->dev.release (xe_nvm_release_dev()) is responsible for the kfree(nvm). When there is failure with auxiliary_device_add(), driver will call auxiliary_device_uninit(), which call put_device(). So that the .release callback will be triggered to free the memory associated with the auxiliary_device. Move the kfree(nvm) into the auxiliary_device_init() failure path and remove the err goto path to fix below error. " [ 13.232905] ================================================================== [ 13.232911] BUG: KASAN: double-free in xe_nvm_init+0x751/0xf10 [xe] [ 13.233112] Free of addr ffff888120635000 by task systemd-udevd/273 [ 13.233120] CPU: 8 UID: 0 PID: 273 Comm: systemd-udevd Not tainted 6.19.0-rc2-lgci-xe-kernel+ #225 PREEMPT(voluntary) ... [ 13.233125] Call Trace: [ 13.233126] <TASK> [ 13.233127] dump_stack_lvl+0x7f/0xc0 [ 13.233132] print_report+0xce/0x610 [ 13.233136] ? kasan_complete_mode_report_info+0x5d/0x1e0 [ 13.233139] ? xe_nvm_init+0x751/0xf10 [xe] ... " v2: drop err goto path. (Alexander) (cherry picked from commit a3187c0c2bbd947ffff97f90d077ac88f9c2a215)
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.