CVE-2026-23138

Local denial of service via recursive stack tracing

Published Feb 14, 2026 · Updated Feb 14, 2026

Denial of service in Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt the host through RCU event stack tracing. In kernel/trace/trace.c, the stack-trace recorder re-enters RCU while an RCU event is being traced, and RCU invokes the recorder again without context-specific recursion protection. The condition requires low-privileged local access and an enabled kernel stack-trace trigger on RCU events; successful exploitation traps the kernel in infinite recursion and interrupts host operation.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt the host through RCU event stack tracing. In kernel/trace/trace.c, the stack-trace recorder re-enters RCU while an RCU event is being traced, and RCU invokes the recorder again without context-specific recursion protection. The condition requires low-privileged local access and an enabled kernel stack-trace trigger on RCU events; successful exploitation traps the kernel in infinite recursion and interrupts host operation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23138
Published
Feb 14, 2026
Updated
Feb 14, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 14, 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=5.8
  2. Affected versionversion=5f5fa7ea89dc82d34ed458f4d7a8634e8e9eefce <5b7f91acffd2c4c000971553d22efa1e1bb4feae
  3. Affected versionversion=5f5fa7ea89dc82d34ed458f4d7a8634e8e9eefce <5f1ef0dfcb5b7f4a91a9b0e0ba533efd9f7e2cdb

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=5.8; version=5f5fa7ea89dc82d34ed458f4d7a8634e8e9eefce <5b7f91acffd2c4c000971553d22efa1e1bb4feae; version=5f5fa7ea89dc82d34ed458f4d7a8634e8e9eefce <5f1ef0dfcb5b7f4a91a9b0e0ba533efd9f7e2cdb

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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