Kernel memory corruption via NMI allocator reentry
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Memory corruption in affected Linux Kernel builds allows local users to corrupt slab state through an NMI-context allocation. On uniprocessor builds, kmalloc_nolock reenters SLUB and takes n->list_lock because spin_trylock succeeds while the interrupted context already holds it. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, high-complexity timing, and CONFIG_SMP disabled; the resulting corruption can trigger a kernel BUG.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in affected Linux Kernel builds allows local users to corrupt slab state through an NMI-context allocation. On uniprocessor builds, kmalloc_nolock reenters SLUB and takes n->list_lock because spin_trylock succeeds while the interrupted context already holds it. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, high-complexity timing, and CONFIG_SMP disabled; the resulting corruption can trigger a kernel BUG.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-46029
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- 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=6.18
- Affected versionversion=af92793e52c3a99b828ed4bdd277fd3e11c18d08 <5b31044e649e3e54c2caef135c09b371c2fbcd08
- Affected versionversion=af92793e52c3a99b828ed4bdd277fd3e11c18d08 <a8d95d274be241ad21f6523bf2d6ba0d7d7e46b7
- Affected versionversion=af92793e52c3a99b828ed4bdd277fd3e11c18d08 <d66553204a15bdb257d9ef8aca1e12f5fbb910b2
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
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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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