Linux: Double Free
CVE-2026-64242 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 71b3391dc81655ff058492f8e9d013b2c6e5747b, 550fa4d071a8c8e53072900869d37ae6abf4999d, c5b9fdb1e8ddf50bc6272927edb118679f170350 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 0.12% 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 71b3391dc81655ff058492f8e9d013b2c6e5747b or 550fa4d071a8c8e53072900869d37ae6abf4999d or c5b9fdb1e8ddf50bc6272927edb118679f170350 or 085652fda7f38040d1a2c42d72614f418feb843f, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.259 or 5.15.210 or 6.1.176 or 6.6.143, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, 71b3391dc81655ff058492f8e9d013b2c6e5747b; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, 550fa4d071a8c8e53072900869d37ae6abf4999d; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, c5b9fdb1e8ddf50bc6272927edb118679f170350; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, 085652fda7f38040d1a2c42d72614f418feb843f; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, 48f89ead20e48d447ad29fa937b43b9fa981cf28; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, e6f8be12f0307145b9a6010f044925952b37de8b; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, db2b72e83a0208ae2b3b270bf91662b1c6849a9b; f770fbec4165b1acfabdeadb01ad6008d2c537b5 up to, but not including, c8547c74988e0b5f4cbb1b895e2a57aae084f070; and 1 more ranges | 71b3391dc81655ff058492f8e9d013b2c6e5747b, 550fa4d071a8c8e53072900869d37ae6abf4999d, c5b9fdb1e8ddf50bc6272927edb118679f170350, 085652fda7f38040d1a2c42d72614f418feb843f, 48f89ead20e48d447ad29fa937b43b9fa981cf28, e6f8be12f0307145b9a6010f044925952b37de8b |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.10 up to, but not including, 5.10.259; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.210; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.176; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.143; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.93; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.35; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.12; 7.1 | 5.10.259, 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.93, 6.18.35 |
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: usb: gadget: net2280: Fix double free in probe error path usb_initialize_gadget() installs gadget_release() as the release callback for the embedded gadget device. The struct net2280 instance is therefore released through gadget_release() when the gadget device's last reference is dropped. The probe error path calls net2280_remove(), which tears down the partially initialized device and drops the gadget reference with usb_put_gadget(). Calling kfree(dev) afterwards can free the same object again. Drop the explicit kfree() and let the gadget device release callback handle the final free. This issue was found by a static analysis tool I am developing.
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.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/085652fda7f38040d1a2c42d72614f418feb843f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/48f89ead20e48d447ad29fa937b43b9fa981cf28
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/550fa4d071a8c8e53072900869d37ae6abf4999d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/71b3391dc81655ff058492f8e9d013b2c6e5747b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c5b9fdb1e8ddf50bc6272927edb118679f170350
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c8547c74988e0b5f4cbb1b895e2a57aae084f070
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/db2b72e83a0208ae2b3b270bf91662b1c6849a9b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e6f8be12f0307145b9a6010f044925952b37de8b
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
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