CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-46185NVD status: Modified

Linux: Out-of-bounds Read

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-46185 is a critical-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 2be11faf79e49fb8250a181ff0b4d2b2f084af83, ef6495d4df6e7af8f3de67e65150881c880f696c, 15dc0a4de743a1aaa7b859b3aea79f08c695396c 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 0.53% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 2be11faf79e49fb8250a181ff0b4d2b2f084af83 or ef6495d4df6e7af8f3de67e65150881c880f696c or 15dc0a4de743a1aaa7b859b3aea79f08c695396c or b8c8a704f0bc133deb171f6aeb6f3a684203e212, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.175 or 6.6.140 or 6.12.88 or 6.18.30, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 up to, but not including, 2be11faf79e49fb8250a181ff0b4d2b2f084af83; 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 up to, but not including, ef6495d4df6e7af8f3de67e65150881c880f696c; 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 up to, but not including, 15dc0a4de743a1aaa7b859b3aea79f08c695396c; 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 up to, but not including, b8c8a704f0bc133deb171f6aeb6f3a684203e212; 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 up to, but not including, b9561402489d41149f63e001a74384863b7b30a6; 76894f3e2f71177747b8b4763fb180e800279585 up to, but not including, d62b8d236fab503c6fec1d3e9a38bea71feaca20; 2d046892a493d9760c35fdaefc3017f27f91b621; 6.0.16 up to, but not including, 6.1; and 1 more ranges2be11faf79e49fb8250a181ff0b4d2b2f084af83, ef6495d4df6e7af8f3de67e65150881c880f696c, 15dc0a4de743a1aaa7b859b3aea79f08c695396c, b8c8a704f0bc133deb171f6aeb6f3a684203e212, b9561402489d41149f63e001a74384863b7b30a6, d62b8d236fab503c6fec1d3e9a38bea71feaca20
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystemall versionsNot stated
LinuxLinux Kernel6.0.16 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, 6.12.88; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.30; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.7; 7.16.1.175, 6.6.140, 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
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
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
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

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

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb/client: fix out-of-bounds read in symlink_data() Since smb2_check_message() returns success without length validation for the symlink error response, in symlink_data() it is possible for iov->iov_len to be smaller than sizeof(struct smb2_err_rsp). If the buffer only contains the base SMB2 header (64 bytes), accessing err->ErrorContextCount (at offset 66) or err->ByteCount later in symlink_data() will cause an out-of-bounds read.

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: yes, 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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