Linux: Double Free
CVE-2026-46162 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 2ca30340b5028ddc3f17086a538feeff06167b1b, 121d1f253aed515cd85748f68c664a6cb756e8ad, d0c6a4816609f145ffcc74e64baa214c571c17c6 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 2ca30340b5028ddc3f17086a538feeff06167b1b or 121d1f253aed515cd85748f68c664a6cb756e8ad or d0c6a4816609f145ffcc74e64baa214c571c17c6 or 9aab1c3d7299285e2569cbc0ed5892d631a241b2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.88 or 6.18.30 or 7.0.7, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 13acc5c4cdbeccf3274cbbd4de2e2d316b8c4ce6 up to, but not including, 2ca30340b5028ddc3f17086a538feeff06167b1b; 13acc5c4cdbeccf3274cbbd4de2e2d316b8c4ce6 up to, but not including, 121d1f253aed515cd85748f68c664a6cb756e8ad; 13acc5c4cdbeccf3274cbbd4de2e2d316b8c4ce6 up to, but not including, d0c6a4816609f145ffcc74e64baa214c571c17c6; 13acc5c4cdbeccf3274cbbd4de2e2d316b8c4ce6 up to, but not including, 9aab1c3d7299285e2569cbc0ed5892d631a241b2; 6.12 | 2ca30340b5028ddc3f17086a538feeff06167b1b, 121d1f253aed515cd85748f68c664a6cb756e8ad, d0c6a4816609f145ffcc74e64baa214c571c17c6, 9aab1c3d7299285e2569cbc0ed5892d631a241b2 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.12 up to, but not including, 6.12.88; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.30; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.7 | 6.12.88, 6.18.30, 7.0.7 |
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: ice: fix double free in ice_sf_eth_activate() error path When auxiliary_device_add() fails, ice_sf_eth_activate() jumps to aux_dev_uninit and calls auxiliary_device_uninit(&sf_dev->adev). The device release callback ice_sf_dev_release() frees sf_dev, but the current error path falls through to sf_dev_free and calls kfree(sf_dev) again, causing a double free. Keep kfree(sf_dev) for the auxiliary_device_init() failure path, but avoid falling through to sf_dev_free after auxiliary_device_uninit().
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.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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