CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-46078NVD status: Undergoing Analysis

Linux: Out-of-bounds Read

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-46078 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. The record lists versions a8ee527807f7d97e55ce2ef2906f7f34975eb1c7, aa16dca1b062355181ef215229eeac249d7c0d61, 80a23c6d1aba35be8746d74ac14e6ba5ae46da21 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.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to a8ee527807f7d97e55ce2ef2906f7f34975eb1c7 or aa16dca1b062355181ef215229eeac249d7c0d61 or 80a23c6d1aba35be8746d74ac14e6ba5ae46da21 or 222055e6b4063abd2d9e13c3d49bbd1724c50789, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.259 or 5.15.210 or 6.1.175 or 6.6.140, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, a8ee527807f7d97e55ce2ef2906f7f34975eb1c7; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, aa16dca1b062355181ef215229eeac249d7c0d61; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, 80a23c6d1aba35be8746d74ac14e6ba5ae46da21; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, 222055e6b4063abd2d9e13c3d49bbd1724c50789; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, 48b27a955d22391c7f30169fa7b6b2e1977f1ce4; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, 8ebb951a284b7446e025afc7dc5e9516ef9a7214; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, 1d55445226c75ddd4e78b09b3e7d99109b28c366; 3aa8ec716e52c02360457fa018296629b4d0becf up to, but not including, d18a3b5d337fa412a38e776e6b4b857a58836575; and 1 more rangesa8ee527807f7d97e55ce2ef2906f7f34975eb1c7, aa16dca1b062355181ef215229eeac249d7c0d61, 80a23c6d1aba35be8746d74ac14e6ba5ae46da21, 222055e6b4063abd2d9e13c3d49bbd1724c50789, 48b27a955d22391c7f30169fa7b6b2e1977f1ce4, 8ebb951a284b7446e025afc7dc5e9516ef9a7214
LinuxLinux Kernel4.19 up to, but not including, 5.10.259; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.210; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.175; 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, 7.0.45.10.259, 5.15.210, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 6.18.27

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
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
RequiredA user must take an action such as opening a file or link.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: erofs: fix the out-of-bounds nameoff handling for trailing dirents Currently we already have boundary-checks for nameoffs, but the trailing dirents are special since the namelens are calculated with strnlen() with unchecked nameoffs. If a crafted EROFS has a trailing dirent with nameoff >= maxsize, maxsize - nameoff can underflow, causing strnlen() to read past the directory block. nameoff0 should also be verified to be a multiple of `sizeof(struct erofs_dirent)` as well [1]. [1] https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260416063511.3173774-1-hsiangkao%40linux.alibaba.com

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read

The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.

More Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities (CWE-125)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities

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