CVE-2026-43328

Kernel memory corruption via cpufreq double free

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Double free in the Linux Kernel cpufreq governor allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during governor initialization. When kobject_init_and_add() fails, kobject_put() invokes cpufreq_dbs_data_release(), but the error path then calls gov->exit() and kfree() on dbs_data again. Reaching the flaw requires root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the initial user namespace and a kobject_init_and_add() failure that is not reliably triggerable.

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

Double free in the Linux Kernel cpufreq governor allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during governor initialization. When kobject_init_and_add() fails, kobject_put() invokes cpufreq_dbs_data_release(), but the error path then calls gov->exit() and kfree() on dbs_data again. Reaching the flaw requires root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the initial user namespace and a kobject_init_and_add() failure that is not reliably triggerable.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43328
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-415
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 8, 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=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <019ea28629720c220daedf38107c8787f330dc05
  2. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <3bf9d023d2329a0e5379f2fd09d06ef09729cd9d
  3. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <427d048e4f6acbfa01b5a8062449fe0ee8987c0d
  4. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <56bc91ee78babe9578585a2bc137abc4b3115ff3
  5. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <6dcf9d0064ce2f3e3dfe5755f98b93abe6a98e1e
  6. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <d2703b4f8fb7cc6f0dfdb2dc2359cc46189e7357
  7. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <da39ee627fd82b52068d4d5f115749a8b7d271f9
  8. Affected versionversion=5.2
  9. Affected versionversion=e977b1477a6725868302957e6b5c330220391797

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <019ea28629720c220daedf38107c8787f330dc05; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <3bf9d023d2329a0e5379f2fd09d06ef09729cd9d; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <427d048e4f6acbfa01b5a8062449fe0ee8987c0d; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <56bc91ee78babe9578585a2bc137abc4b3115ff3; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <6dcf9d0064ce2f3e3dfe5755f98b93abe6a98e1e; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <d2703b4f8fb7cc6f0dfdb2dc2359cc46189e7357; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <da39ee627fd82b52068d4d5f115749a8b7d271f9; version=5.2; version=e977b1477a6725868302957e6b5c330220391797

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-415Double Free

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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