CVE-2026-23408

Local privilege escalation via AppArmor namespace double free

Published Apr 1, 2026 · Updated Apr 1, 2026

Double free in the AppArmor component of the Linux Kernel allows local users to escalate privileges through crafted profile operations. When aa_unpack leaves ns_name unset, aa_replace_profiles transfers ent->ns_name without clearing the original pointer, so aa_load_ent_free and kfree release the same allocation. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and active AppArmor profile handling; successful abuse can corrupt kernel memory and elevate privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Double free in the AppArmor component of the Linux Kernel allows local users to escalate privileges through crafted profile operations. When aa_unpack leaves ns_name unset, aa_replace_profiles transfers ent->ns_name without clearing the original pointer, so aa_load_ent_free and kfree release the same allocation. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and active AppArmor profile handling; successful abuse can corrupt kernel memory and elevate privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23408
Published
Apr 1, 2026
Updated
Apr 1, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-415, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 1, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 1, 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=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <18b5233e860c294a847ee07869d93c0b8673a54b
  2. Affected versionversion=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <55ef2af7490aaf72f8ffe11ec44c6bcb7eb2162a
  3. Affected versionversion=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <5df0c44e8f5f619d3beb871207aded7c78414502
  4. Affected versionversion=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <7998ab3010d2317643f91828f1853d954ef31387
  5. Affected versionversion=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <86feeccd6b93ed94bd6655f30de80f163f8d5a45
  6. Affected versionversion=5.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <18b5233e860c294a847ee07869d93c0b8673a54b; version=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <55ef2af7490aaf72f8ffe11ec44c6bcb7eb2162a; version=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <5df0c44e8f5f619d3beb871207aded7c78414502; version=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <7998ab3010d2317643f91828f1853d954ef31387; version=145a0ef21c8e944957f58e2c8ffcd8a10f46266a <86feeccd6b93ed94bd6655f30de80f163f8d5a45; version=5.5

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-415Double Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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