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🛡️ CVE-2026-46242 — kernel

🟠 CVSS 7.8 — High ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
7.8
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

eventpoll: fix ep_remove struct eventpoll / struct file UAF

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

eventpoll: fix ep_remove struct eventpoll / struct file UAF

ep_remove() (via ep_remove_file()) cleared file->f_ep under

file->f_lock but then kept using @file inside the critical section

(is_file_epoll(), hlist_del_rcu() through the head, spin_unlock).

A concurrent __fput() taking the eventpoll_release() fastpath in

that window observed the transient NULL, skipped

eventpoll_release_file() and ran to f_op->release / file_free().

For the epoll-watches-epoll case, f_op->release is

ep_eventpoll_release() -> ep_clear_and_put() -> ep_free(), which

kfree()s the watched struct eventpoll. Its embedded ->refs

hlist_head is exactly where epi->fllink.pprev points, so the

subsequent hlist_del_rcu()'s "*pprev = next" scribbles into freed

kmalloc-192 memory.

In addition, struct file is SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU, so the slot

backing @file could be recycled by alloc_empty_file() --

reinitializing f_lock and f_ep -- while ep_remove() is still

nominally inside that lock. The upshot is an attacker-controllable

kmem_cache_free() against the wrong slab cache.

Pin @file via epi_fget() at the top of ep_remove() and gate the

critical section on the pin succeeding. With the pin held @file

cannot reach refcount zero, which holds __fput() off and

transitively keeps the watched struct eventpoll alive across the

hlist_del_rcu() and the f_lock use, closing both UAFs.

If the pin fails @file has already reached refcount zero and its

__fput() is in flight. Because we bailed before clearing f_ep,

that path takes the eventpoll_release() slow path into

eventpoll_release_file() and blocks on ep->mtx until the waiter

side's ep_clear_and_put() drops it. The bailed epi's share of

ep->refcount stays intact, so the trailing ep_refcount_dec_and_test()

in ep_clear_and_put() cannot free the eventpoll out from under

eventpoll_release_file(); the orphaned epi is then cleaned up

there.

A successful pin also proves we are not racing

eventpoll_release_file() on this epi, so drop the now-redundant

re-check of epi->dying under f_lock. The cheap lockless

READ_ONCE(epi->dying) fast-path bailout stays.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high.

Affected software

CVE-2026-46242 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • kernel (from 6.13.0 up to 7.0.10)
  • linux-kernel (from 6.19 up to 7.0.10)

Timeline and source

Published on 30 May 2026 and last revised on 12 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

www.openwall.com (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
github.com (Advisory)
nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
git.kernel.org (Package)

CVE-2026-46242 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity High
CVSS Score 7.8
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2026-05-30
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-08-12

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
kernel 6.13.0 7.0.10
linux-kernel 6.19 7.0.10

Similar Threats

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