Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-46011 is a high-severity use after 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 2209fdae5c2f615930c9af1379c1cfca199ec5d8, 0498b27a1542021d90269d58347501d4c3ccd84e, 26506a30e0e26d612f82a7bf0e395626968a44e6 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 0.13% 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 2209fdae5c2f615930c9af1379c1cfca199ec5d8 or 0498b27a1542021d90269d58347501d4c3ccd84e or 26506a30e0e26d612f82a7bf0e395626968a44e6 or e78c39f720679fcf3a2eacd82725ec3ea2648301, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.6.140 or 6.12.86 or 6.18.27 or 7.0.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5fb1c2361e5630491d2a2f9359654eb022601bc0 up to, but not including, 2209fdae5c2f615930c9af1379c1cfca199ec5d8; 5fb1c2361e5630491d2a2f9359654eb022601bc0 up to, but not including, 0498b27a1542021d90269d58347501d4c3ccd84e; 5fb1c2361e5630491d2a2f9359654eb022601bc0 up to, but not including, 26506a30e0e26d612f82a7bf0e395626968a44e6; 5fb1c2361e5630491d2a2f9359654eb022601bc0 up to, but not including, e78c39f720679fcf3a2eacd82725ec3ea2648301; 5fb1c2361e5630491d2a2f9359654eb022601bc0 up to, but not including, 34c519feef3e4fcff1078dc8bdb25fbbbd10303f; 6.2 | 2209fdae5c2f615930c9af1379c1cfca199ec5d8, 0498b27a1542021d90269d58347501d4c3ccd84e, 26506a30e0e26d612f82a7bf0e395626968a44e6, e78c39f720679fcf3a2eacd82725ec3ea2648301, 34c519feef3e4fcff1078dc8bdb25fbbbd10303f |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.140; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.86; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.27; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.4 | 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 6.18.27, 7.0.4 |
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 CNA.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: mtk-jpeg: fix use-after-free in release path due to uncancelled work The mtk_jpeg_release() function frees the context structure (ctx) without first cancelling any pending or running work in ctx->jpeg_work. This creates a race window where the workqueue callback may still be accessing the context memory after it has been freed. Race condition: CPU 0 (release) CPU 1 (workqueue) ---------------- ------------------ close() mtk_jpeg_release() mtk_jpegenc_worker() ctx = work->data // accessing ctx kfree(ctx) // freed! access ctx // UAF! The work is queued via queue_work() during JPEG encode/decode operations (via mtk_jpeg_device_run). If the device is closed while work is pending or running, the work handler will access freed memory. Fix this by calling cancel_work_sync() BEFORE acquiring the mutex. This ordering is critical: if cancel_work_sync() is called after mutex_lock(), and the work handler also tries to acquire the same mutex, it would cause a deadlock. Note: The open error path does NOT need cancel_work_sync() because INIT_WORK() only initializes the work structure - it does not schedule it. Work is only scheduled later during ioctl operations.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0498b27a1542021d90269d58347501d4c3ccd84e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2209fdae5c2f615930c9af1379c1cfca199ec5d8
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/26506a30e0e26d612f82a7bf0e395626968a44e6
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/34c519feef3e4fcff1078dc8bdb25fbbbd10303f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e78c39f720679fcf3a2eacd82725ec3ea2648301
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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