Kernel stack disclosure via uninitialized I2C reads
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Information disclosure in the Linux Kernel MCTP-over-I2C driver allows local users to read an uninitialized kernel stack byte. The mctp_i2c_slave_cb handler leaves the output byte unset for I2C read-request and read-processed events, so Aspeed and NPCM bus drivers return the prior stack byte instead of 0xff. Exploitation requires local access to an exposed mctp-i2c slave device on an affected controller; each read reveals one byte and does not alter kernel state.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in the Linux Kernel MCTP-over-I2C driver allows local users to read an uninitialized kernel stack byte. The mctp_i2c_slave_cb handler leaves the output byte unset for I2C read-request and read-processed events, so Aspeed and NPCM bus drivers return the prior stack byte instead of 0xff. Exploitation requires local access to an exposed mctp-i2c slave device on an affected controller; each read reveals one byte and does not alter kernel state.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-45865
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 27, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=5.18
- Affected versionversion=f5b8abf9fc3dacd7529d363e26fe8230935d65f8 <11f83253244060b5de5eac787f61ae3f3e559d01
- Affected versionversion=f5b8abf9fc3dacd7529d363e26fe8230935d65f8 <1eeedb310229bfee9dd4d992e5bba33fe1378a8f
- Affected versionversion=f5b8abf9fc3dacd7529d363e26fe8230935d65f8 <2a14e91b6d76639dac70ea170f4384c1ee3cb48d
- Affected versionversion=f5b8abf9fc3dacd7529d363e26fe8230935d65f8 <6ff2ebfef75fbc57d937d8fbe738b967edf2d331
- Affected versionversion=f5b8abf9fc3dacd7529d363e26fe8230935d65f8 <93e01e837e105299f1c259ef71f6e1ec4fe806e3
- Affected versionversion=f5b8abf9fc3dacd7529d363e26fe8230935d65f8 <fa9861e5c8af7651dddfa8d490aaada17ae33b6c
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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