CVE-2026-46035

Kernel crash via NMI allocator re-entry

Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

Memory corruption in Linux Kernel 6.18 allows local users to crash uniprocessor systems through allocator re-entry from NMI context. On CONFIG_SMP-disabled builds, spin_trylock() always succeeds, so alloc_frozen_pages_nolock() can re-enter rmqueue() and reacquire an interrupted zone lock, corrupting freelists. Reachability requires a uniprocessor kernel and an NMI-time allocation path; the demonstrated result is a kernel BUG and service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in Linux Kernel 6.18 allows local users to crash uniprocessor systems through allocator re-entry from NMI context. On CONFIG_SMP-disabled builds, spin_trylock() always succeeds, so alloc_frozen_pages_nolock() can re-enter rmqueue() and reacquire an interrupted zone lock, corrupting freelists. Reachability requires a uniprocessor kernel and an NMI-time allocation path; the demonstrated result is a kernel BUG and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46035
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
May 27, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.18
  2. Affected versionversion=d7242af8643409aae32243450341ef25b28d8a8c <05b4ed8bef30bba4f559c8d835e2dd20c48cf8a4
  3. Affected versionversion=d7242af8643409aae32243450341ef25b28d8a8c <620b46ed6ae17c8438d889c8c0cfddab36a1476c
  4. Affected versionversion=d7242af8643409aae32243450341ef25b28d8a8c <a6d57efeaae3f3b3656514f600eac96be713d90e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.18; version=d7242af8643409aae32243450341ef25b28d8a8c <05b4ed8bef30bba4f559c8d835e2dd20c48cf8a4; version=d7242af8643409aae32243450341ef25b28d8a8c <620b46ed6ae17c8438d889c8c0cfddab36a1476c; version=d7242af8643409aae32243450341ef25b28d8a8c <a6d57efeaae3f3b3656514f600eac96be713d90e

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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