CVE-2026-23012Hinoki check available

Kernel memory corruption via stale DAMON call control

Published Jan 25, 2026 · Updated Jan 25, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel 6.17 allows local users with DAMON sysfs write permission to corrupt kernel memory through crafted writes. The damon_call() error path leaves a damon_call_control linked to an inactive context, so a later request traverses a freed list entry. Root-owned 0600 sysfs permissions normally restrict the trigger to uid 0, bounding exposure to privileged local contexts.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel 6.17 allows local users with DAMON sysfs write permission to corrupt kernel memory through crafted writes. The damon_call() error path leaves a damon_call_control linked to an inactive context, so a later request traverses a freed list entry. Root-owned 0600 sysfs permissions normally restrict the trigger to uid 0, bounding exposure to privileged local contexts.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23012
Published
Jan 25, 2026
Updated
Jan 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=004ded6bee11b8ed463cdc54b89a4390f4b64f6d <23b061f421eef03647b512f3df48861706c87db3
  2. Affected versionversion=004ded6bee11b8ed463cdc54b89a4390f4b64f6d <f9132fbc2e83baf2c45a77043672a63a675c9394
  3. Affected versionversion=6.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=004ded6bee11b8ed463cdc54b89a4390f4b64f6d <23b061f421eef03647b512f3df48861706c87db3; version=004ded6bee11b8ed463cdc54b89a4390f4b64f6d <f9132fbc2e83baf2c45a77043672a63a675c9394; version=6.17

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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