Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-46241 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 b25eb3d24d03e571f09c04a0522c798ea35e48a1, dd74a790818ebb9a2be3a94ac935a374755cd278, 8b49b6aadd0c622ca7d68b4a53ae10362e221cf3 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 b25eb3d24d03e571f09c04a0522c798ea35e48a1 or dd74a790818ebb9a2be3a94ac935a374755cd278 or 8b49b6aadd0c622ca7d68b4a53ae10362e221cf3 or 336d9ad7560b3baba17af06727a888040ee93390, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.90 or 6.18.32 or 7.0.9, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 42bbb70980f3720b0ae6da6af862af0e95a04351 up to, but not including, b25eb3d24d03e571f09c04a0522c798ea35e48a1; 42bbb70980f3720b0ae6da6af862af0e95a04351 up to, but not including, dd74a790818ebb9a2be3a94ac935a374755cd278; 42bbb70980f3720b0ae6da6af862af0e95a04351 up to, but not including, 8b49b6aadd0c622ca7d68b4a53ae10362e221cf3; 42bbb70980f3720b0ae6da6af862af0e95a04351 up to, but not including, 336d9ad7560b3baba17af06727a888040ee93390; 42bbb70980f3720b0ae6da6af862af0e95a04351 up to, but not including, 5c77f11b9b5f1ad5a704dad875260c44016ede10; 42bbb70980f3720b0ae6da6af862af0e95a04351 up to, but not including, f62c060272b9d7423b1650b844e8e4e7b8f9f925; 2.6.33 | b25eb3d24d03e571f09c04a0522c798ea35e48a1, dd74a790818ebb9a2be3a94ac935a374755cd278, 8b49b6aadd0c622ca7d68b4a53ae10362e221cf3, 336d9ad7560b3baba17af06727a888040ee93390, 5c77f11b9b5f1ad5a704dad875260c44016ede10, f62c060272b9d7423b1650b844e8e4e7b8f9f925 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 2.6.33 up to, but not including, 6.12.90; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.32; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.9 | 6.12.90, 6.18.32, 7.0.9 |
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: spi: mpc52xx: fix use-after-free on registration failure Make sure to disable and free the interrupts in case controller registration fails to avoid a potential use-after-free and resource leak. This issue was flagged by Sashiko when reviewing a controller deregistration fix.
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
Other references
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.