CVE-2026-46087

Kernel-memory exhaustion via leaked DAMON contexts

Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

Resource leak in Linux Kernel 6.17 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by repeatedly enabling DAMON_STAT when startup fails. damon_stat_start() leaves the context allocated by damon_stat_build_ctx() reachable only through damon_stat_context after damon_start() fails, and a later enable attempt overwrites that stale pointer without freeing the allocation. Reachability requires a kernel built with CONFIG_DAMON_STAT=y, permission to change its enabled parameter, and a startup failure; repeated failures consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

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

Resource leak in Linux Kernel 6.17 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by repeatedly enabling DAMON_STAT when startup fails. damon_stat_start() leaves the context allocated by damon_stat_build_ctx() reachable only through damon_stat_context after damon_start() fails, and a later enable attempt overwrites that stale pointer without freeing the allocation. Reachability requires a kernel built with CONFIG_DAMON_STAT=y, permission to change its enabled parameter, and a startup failure; repeated failures consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46087
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
May 27, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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=369c415e60732b7c8ed33368891581246f580d7a <50bc1d7e0f3bb6932c8dc5da0907eead0790176b
  2. Affected versionversion=369c415e60732b7c8ed33368891581246f580d7a <8a62c58411cbd748d7aeab0e5b0963e33ff47a7a
  3. Affected versionversion=369c415e60732b7c8ed33368891581246f580d7a <e04ed278d25bf15769800bf6e35c6737f137186f
  4. Affected versionversion=6.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=369c415e60732b7c8ed33368891581246f580d7a <50bc1d7e0f3bb6932c8dc5da0907eead0790176b; version=369c415e60732b7c8ed33368891581246f580d7a <8a62c58411cbd748d7aeab0e5b0963e33ff47a7a; version=369c415e60732b7c8ed33368891581246f580d7a <e04ed278d25bf15769800bf6e35c6737f137186f; version=6.17

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS: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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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