Kernel compromise via BTF object use-after-free
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Use-after-free in the BPF verifier in affected Linux Kernel releases allows local users to compromise the kernel via a crafted BPF program. check_pseudo_btf_id() passes a BTF object to __check_pseudo_btf_id() before ensuring that a durable reference keeps the object alive. A local low-privileged account and permission to load the crafted BPF program are required; exploitation permits kernel data access or modification and can crash the system.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the BPF verifier in affected Linux Kernel releases allows local users to compromise the kernel via a crafted BPF program. check_pseudo_btf_id() passes a BTF object to __check_pseudo_btf_id() before ensuring that a durable reference keeps the object alive. A local low-privileged account and permission to load the crafted BPF program are required; exploitation permits kernel data access or modification and can crash the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-45951
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6.14
- Affected versionversion=76145f7255326761dafb76721a785799d8a00d5f <9ff46ffeecdb1802d6e26183177935b948a12e7f
- Affected versionversion=76145f7255326761dafb76721a785799d8a00d5f <ccd2d799ed4467c07f5ee18c2f5c59bcc990822c
- Affected versionversion=76145f7255326761dafb76721a785799d8a00d5f <eac65c272f3b49021a843cba5107d63627395e0e
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
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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