CVE-2026-31695

Local kernel compromise via virt_wifi parent use-after-free

Published May 1, 2026 · Updated May 1, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel virt_wifi driver allows local users to compromise kernel confidentiality, integrity, and availability. A race between virt_wifi unregistration and ethtool handling leaves dev.parent pointing to a freed lower device that ethnl_ops_begin dereferences through pm_runtime_get_sync. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and an ethtool operation against a virt_wifi device during unregistration, with consequences up to kernel data access, modification, or service interruption.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel virt_wifi driver allows local users to compromise kernel confidentiality, integrity, and availability. A race between virt_wifi unregistration and ethtool handling leaves dev.parent pointing to a freed lower device that ethnl_ops_begin dereferences through pm_runtime_get_sync. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and an ethtool operation against a virt_wifi device during unregistration, with consequences up to kernel data access, modification, or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-31695
Published
May 1, 2026
Updated
May 1, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

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

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <5adc01506da94dfaab76f3d1b8410a8ca7bfc59d
  3. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <5bbadf60b121065ffb267ec92018607b9c1c7524
  4. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <789b06f9f39cdc7e895bdab2c034e39c41c8f8d6
  5. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <c5fa98842783ed227365d1303785de6a67020c8d
  6. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <d1e3aa80e6e04410ba89eaaba4441a0d749d181d
  7. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <dcb5915696bd7b32b6404a897c24ee47cb23e772
  8. Affected versionversion=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <e90f3e74e1ebc26c461a74be490d322716bcdcb4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=5.15; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <5adc01506da94dfaab76f3d1b8410a8ca7bfc59d; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <5bbadf60b121065ffb267ec92018607b9c1c7524; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <789b06f9f39cdc7e895bdab2c034e39c41c8f8d6; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <c5fa98842783ed227365d1303785de6a67020c8d; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <d1e3aa80e6e04410ba89eaaba4441a0d749d181d; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <dcb5915696bd7b32b6404a897c24ee47cb23e772; version=d43c65b05b848e0b2db1a6c78b02c189da3a95b5 <e90f3e74e1ebc26c461a74be490d322716bcdcb4

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.

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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-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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