Linux: Double Free
CVE-2026-43196 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 dbda01bf2dfe5af33163e1e5fca1b82b619c2803, 24c40076e3bc3d73c839c886d6bda1da6c4d9b93, 818cf66d91c8ef09b01664a12d5f4ea786d64396 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 dbda01bf2dfe5af33163e1e5fca1b82b619c2803 or 24c40076e3bc3d73c839c886d6bda1da6c4d9b93 or 818cf66d91c8ef09b01664a12d5f4ea786d64396 or e113339cc7d23be4948891f3a702e9dce5b47035, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.252 or 5.15.202 or 6.1.165 or 6.6.128, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, dbda01bf2dfe5af33163e1e5fca1b82b619c2803; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, 24c40076e3bc3d73c839c886d6bda1da6c4d9b93; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, 818cf66d91c8ef09b01664a12d5f4ea786d64396; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, e113339cc7d23be4948891f3a702e9dce5b47035; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, 69aa67c1e22d13e9aad4b08c86304ad8e743dcab; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, b7db9953c2f8da37de498198623b05b46f8e2ca0; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, 04dbbb18cc9c8795c9ff47d8994bc03ebfef9d68; ba59c9b43c86b2c2396acac94e41d946cbaec9fe up to, but not including, 80db65d4acfb9ff12d00172aed39ea8b98261aad; and 1 more ranges | dbda01bf2dfe5af33163e1e5fca1b82b619c2803, 24c40076e3bc3d73c839c886d6bda1da6c4d9b93, 818cf66d91c8ef09b01664a12d5f4ea786d64396, e113339cc7d23be4948891f3a702e9dce5b47035, 69aa67c1e22d13e9aad4b08c86304ad8e743dcab, b7db9953c2f8da37de498198623b05b46f8e2ca0 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.10 up to, but not including, 5.10.252; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.202; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.165; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.128; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.75; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.16; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.6 | 5.10.252, 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 6.6.128, 6.12.75, 6.18.16 |
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: soc: ti: pruss: Fix double free in pruss_clk_mux_setup() In the pruss_clk_mux_setup(), the devm_add_action_or_reset() indirectly calls pruss_of_free_clk_provider(), which calls of_node_put(clk_mux_np) on the error path. However, after the devm_add_action_or_reset() returns, the of_node_put(clk_mux_np) is called again, causing a double free. Fix by returning directly, to avoid the duplicate of_node_put().
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
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/04dbbb18cc9c8795c9ff47d8994bc03ebfef9d68
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/24c40076e3bc3d73c839c886d6bda1da6c4d9b93
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/69aa67c1e22d13e9aad4b08c86304ad8e743dcab
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/80db65d4acfb9ff12d00172aed39ea8b98261aad
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/818cf66d91c8ef09b01664a12d5f4ea786d64396
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7db9953c2f8da37de498198623b05b46f8e2ca0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dbda01bf2dfe5af33163e1e5fca1b82b619c2803
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e113339cc7d23be4948891f3a702e9dce5b47035
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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