CVE-2026-23474

Boot crash via out-of-bounds RedBoot name comparison

Published Apr 3, 2026 · Updated Apr 3, 2026

Out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel RedBoot parser allows local users to crash affected systems during boot via partition data. The parser passes a fixed 15-byte length to memcmp even when names points to a shorter strlen-sized allocation, so the comparison reads beyond its end. Triggering requires the RedBoot MTD parser, attacker-controlled partition metadata, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, and a recent compiler; the resulting kernel oops interrupts boot.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel RedBoot parser allows local users to crash affected systems during boot via partition data. The parser passes a fixed 15-byte length to memcmp even when names points to a shorter strlen-sized allocation, so the comparison reads beyond its end. Triggering requires the RedBoot MTD parser, attacker-controlled partition metadata, CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE, and a recent compiler; the resulting kernel oops interrupts boot.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23474
Published
Apr 3, 2026
Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0b08be5aca212a99f8ba786fee4922feac08002c
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2025b2d1f9d5cad6ea6fe85654c6c41297c3130b
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <75a4d8cfe7784f909b3bd69325abac8e04ecb385
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8e2f8020270af7777d49c2e7132260983e4fc566
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c4054ad2d8bff4e8e937cd4a1d1a04c1e8f77a2c
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d8570211a2b1ec886a462daa0be4e9983ac768bb
  7. Affected versionversion=2.6.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0b08be5aca212a99f8ba786fee4922feac08002c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2025b2d1f9d5cad6ea6fe85654c6c41297c3130b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <75a4d8cfe7784f909b3bd69325abac8e04ecb385; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8e2f8020270af7777d49c2e7132260983e4fc566; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c4054ad2d8bff4e8e937cd4a1d1a04c1e8f77a2c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d8570211a2b1ec886a462daa0be4e9983ac768bb; version=2.6.12

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

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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
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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