CVE-2026-23435

Local kernel crash via missing PMU event pointer

Published Apr 3, 2026 · Updated Apr 3, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the x86 performance-monitoring code in Linux Kernel allows local users to crash the system through perf-event activity. During a throttle-reschedule-unthrottle race, x86_pmu_enable() skips cpuc->events[idx] setup for PERF_HES_ARCH events, but x86_pmu_start() still sets the matching active_mask bit. A subsequent PMC overflow NMI follows that active bit, reads the NULL event pointer, and crashes the kernel; reachability requires local perf-event access on x86 hardware.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the x86 performance-monitoring code in Linux Kernel allows local users to crash the system through perf-event activity. During a throttle-reschedule-unthrottle race, x86_pmu_enable() skips cpuc->events[idx] setup for PERF_HES_ARCH events, but x86_pmu_start() still sets the matching active_mask bit. A subsequent PMC overflow NMI follows that active bit, reads the NULL event pointer, and crashes the kernel; reachability requires local perf-event access on x86 hardware.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23435
Published
Apr 3, 2026
Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 3, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 3, 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=6.19
  2. Affected versionversion=6b089028bff1f2ff9e0c62b8f1faca1a620e5d6e <886fa869153917d902784098922defa20c3a2fe5
  3. Affected versionversion=7e772a93eb61cb6265bdd1c5bde17d0f2718b452 <8d5fae6011260de209aaf231120e8146b14bc8e0
  4. Affected versionversion=7e772a93eb61cb6265bdd1c5bde17d0f2718b452 <c1dd1e2b722d3f1f2e4977dad8d1be78fdfb30cb
  5. Affected versionversion=cf69b99805c263117305ac6dffbc85aaf9259d32

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.19; version=6b089028bff1f2ff9e0c62b8f1faca1a620e5d6e <886fa869153917d902784098922defa20c3a2fe5; version=7e772a93eb61cb6265bdd1c5bde17d0f2718b452 <8d5fae6011260de209aaf231120e8146b14bc8e0; version=7e772a93eb61cb6265bdd1c5bde17d0f2718b452 <c1dd1e2b722d3f1f2e4977dad8d1be78fdfb30cb; version=cf69b99805c263117305ac6dffbc85aaf9259d32

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

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
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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