CVE-2026-43074Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via eventpoll use-after-free

Published May 6, 2026 · Updated May 6, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel allows local users to escalate privileges by racing close against nested epoll registration. ep_free() can immediately free a struct eventpoll while ep_get_upwards_depth_proc() still follows its epi->ep pointer during a concurrent close and EPOLL_CTL_ADD race. An unprivileged local process can reclaim the freed object and convert the stale traversal into kernel reads and writes that overwrite credentials and gain root access.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.48%
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 Linux Kernel allows local users to escalate privileges by racing close against nested epoll registration. ep_free() can immediately free a struct eventpoll while ep_get_upwards_depth_proc() still follows its epi->ep pointer during a concurrent close and EPOLL_CTL_ADD race. An unprivileged local process can reclaim the freed object and convert the stale traversal into kernel reads and writes that overwrite credentials and gain root access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43074
Published
May 6, 2026
Updated
May 6, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 6, 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=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <07712db80857d5d09ae08f3df85a708ecfc3b61f
  2. Affected versionversion=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <5b1173b165421561db29f30afc7e97d940a398a9
  3. Affected versionversion=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <7e8083f5eeedab0f460063b9c2c14c9a4e71a427
  4. Affected versionversion=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <a6566cd33f6f967a7651ebf2ce0dd31572e319cf
  5. Affected versionversion=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <ae0bb9c1fb7c2594519aeeb096cf2c3b7837b322
  6. Affected versionversion=6.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <07712db80857d5d09ae08f3df85a708ecfc3b61f; version=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <5b1173b165421561db29f30afc7e97d940a398a9; version=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <7e8083f5eeedab0f460063b9c2c14c9a4e71a427; version=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <a6566cd33f6f967a7651ebf2ce0dd31572e319cf; version=58c9b016e12855286370dfb704c08498edbc857a <ae0bb9c1fb7c2594519aeeb096cf2c3b7837b322; version=6.4

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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