Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-46288 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.4 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 37318d1a27c9cc5a70d3cd7e49e30ec86f2b8ca1, 7f0f0926f3010b10cff5e93446258f971e42f2fd, 6fdad20b7975bdc32e85b45f8f7c640f6687b81f 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 37318d1a27c9cc5a70d3cd7e49e30ec86f2b8ca1 or 7f0f0926f3010b10cff5e93446258f971e42f2fd or 6fdad20b7975bdc32e85b45f8f7c640f6687b81f or faecdd423c27f0d6090156a435ba9dbbac0eaddb, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 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 | 1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 up to, but not including, 37318d1a27c9cc5a70d3cd7e49e30ec86f2b8ca1; 1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 up to, but not including, 7f0f0926f3010b10cff5e93446258f971e42f2fd; 1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 up to, but not including, 6fdad20b7975bdc32e85b45f8f7c640f6687b81f; 1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 up to, but not including, faecdd423c27f0d6090156a435ba9dbbac0eaddb; 6.12 | 37318d1a27c9cc5a70d3cd7e49e30ec86f2b8ca1, 7f0f0926f3010b10cff5e93446258f971e42f2fd, 6fdad20b7975bdc32e85b45f8f7c640f6687b81f, faecdd423c27f0d6090156a435ba9dbbac0eaddb |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.12 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 | 6.12.86, 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
- 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
- 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:N/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: of: unittest: fix use-after-free in of_unittest_changeset() The variable 'parent' is assigned the value of 'nchangeset' earlier in the function, meaning both point to the same struct device_node. The call to of_node_put(nchangeset) can decrement the reference count to zero and free the node if there are no other holders. After that, the code still uses 'parent' to check for the presence of a property and to read a string property, leading to a use-after-free. Fix this by moving the of_node_put() call after the last access to 'parent', avoiding the UAF.
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
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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