Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-64245 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 c7dc382439f7b019e207055b52e9cec051d42fa9, f906347d75c7fc377041c6d3c535d0f08846aada, 4d418cf8daf57e454b4d855bf9b2419fd8e6a540 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 c7dc382439f7b019e207055b52e9cec051d42fa9 or f906347d75c7fc377041c6d3c535d0f08846aada or 4d418cf8daf57e454b4d855bf9b2419fd8e6a540 or 13b6f0cdd5cd5e60f682ec43134ab0e2024bd356, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.6.144 or 6.12.95 or 6.18.38 or 7.1.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 089d924d03d5c17b05d02992f57671ccfba1c4f0 up to, but not including, c7dc382439f7b019e207055b52e9cec051d42fa9; 089d924d03d5c17b05d02992f57671ccfba1c4f0 up to, but not including, f906347d75c7fc377041c6d3c535d0f08846aada; 089d924d03d5c17b05d02992f57671ccfba1c4f0 up to, but not including, 4d418cf8daf57e454b4d855bf9b2419fd8e6a540; 089d924d03d5c17b05d02992f57671ccfba1c4f0 up to, but not including, 13b6f0cdd5cd5e60f682ec43134ab0e2024bd356; 089d924d03d5c17b05d02992f57671ccfba1c4f0 up to, but not including, 85b6256469cebdac395e7447147e06b2e151014f; 6.4 | c7dc382439f7b019e207055b52e9cec051d42fa9, f906347d75c7fc377041c6d3c535d0f08846aada, 4d418cf8daf57e454b4d855bf9b2419fd8e6a540, 13b6f0cdd5cd5e60f682ec43134ab0e2024bd356, 85b6256469cebdac395e7447147e06b2e151014f |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.4 up to, but not including, 6.6.144; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.95; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.38; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.1.3 | 6.6.144, 6.12.95, 6.18.38, 7.1.3 |
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: fbdev: modedb: fix a possible UAF in fb_find_mode() If mode_option is NULL, it is assigned from mode_option_buf: if (!mode_option) { fb_get_options(NULL, &mode_option_buf); mode_option = mode_option_buf; } Later, name is assigned from mode_option: const char *name = mode_option; However, mode_option_buf is freed before name is no longer used: kfree(mode_option_buf); while name is still accessed by: if ((name_matches(db[i], name, namelen) || Since name aliases mode_option_buf, this may result in a use-after-free. Fix this by extending the lifetime of mode_option_buf until the end of the function by using scope-based resource management for cleanup.
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.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/13b6f0cdd5cd5e60f682ec43134ab0e2024bd356
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d418cf8daf57e454b4d855bf9b2419fd8e6a540
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/85b6256469cebdac395e7447147e06b2e151014f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7dc382439f7b019e207055b52e9cec051d42fa9
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f906347d75c7fc377041c6d3c535d0f08846aada
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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