Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-46308 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 cb27e43c0511e9e1ca8818d231656070b11c18cf, 38d8410021b55d226847b2ac8d189d89fe5a8866, ec1fcddb3117d9452210e838fd37389ee61e10e8 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 0.11% 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 cb27e43c0511e9e1ca8818d231656070b11c18cf or 38d8410021b55d226847b2ac8d189d89fe5a8866 or ec1fcddb3117d9452210e838fd37389ee61e10e8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 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 | c29345fa5f66bea0790cf2219f57b974d4fc177b up to, but not including, cb27e43c0511e9e1ca8818d231656070b11c18cf; c29345fa5f66bea0790cf2219f57b974d4fc177b up to, but not including, 38d8410021b55d226847b2ac8d189d89fe5a8866; c29345fa5f66bea0790cf2219f57b974d4fc177b up to, but not including, ec1fcddb3117d9452210e838fd37389ee61e10e8; 6.18 | cb27e43c0511e9e1ca8818d231656070b11c18cf, 38d8410021b55d226847b2ac8d189d89fe5a8866, ec1fcddb3117d9452210e838fd37389ee61e10e8 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.18 up to, but not including, 6.18.30; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.7; 7.1 | 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: pmdomain: mediatek: fix use-after-free in scpsys_get_bus_protection_legacy() In scpsys_get_bus_protection_legacy(), of_find_node_with_property() returns a device node with its reference count incremented. The function then calls of_node_put(node) before checking whether syscon_regmap_lookup_by_phandle() returns an error. If an error occurs, dev_err_probe() dereferences the node pointer to print diagnostic information, but the node memory may have already been freed due to the earlier of_node_put(), leading to a use-after-free vulnerability. Fix this by moving the of_node_put() call after the error check, ensuring the node is still valid when accessed in the error path.
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
- 8.4 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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