Kernel memory corruption via stale tx_spare pointer
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
A double free in the Linux Kernel HNS3 driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during ring-parameter reconfiguration. hns3_set_ringparam leaves tx_spare pointing to backup memory, so an allocation failure makes hns3_init_all_ring cleanup free that memory again. Reachability requires local low-privileged access, an HNS3 interface, a ring-parameter change, and allocation failure; the corruption can crash the kernel or compromise kernel data.
Summary
What happened
A double free in the Linux Kernel HNS3 driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during ring-parameter reconfiguration. hns3_set_ringparam leaves tx_spare pointing to backup memory, so an allocation failure makes hns3_init_all_ring cleanup free that memory again. Reachability requires local low-privileged access, an HNS3 interface, a ring-parameter change, and allocation failure; the corruption can crash the kernel or compromise kernel data.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-45891
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-415
- 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
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- Affected versionversion=5.14
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <43015461662d41dcfb3bb95fadd8a2a42ad8eacf
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <6d2f142b1e4b203387a92519d9d2e34752a79dbb
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <6dc10494cfe27b6f1e9adb7e293293ae39c50b7c
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <c3659273860bed0c8e573b865e3769abc51225a8
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <d2c785733dfb853ea0b53984c75662a1af230a94
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <fb6a4c376d454b425555b1b0bda36e99f56ec307
- Affected versionversion=907676b130711fd1f627824559e92259db2061d1 <fdbccddb7e7822016601829f95de4008e193f7bc
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Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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