CVE-2026-46166

Kernel memory corruption via freed channel-context traversal

Published May 28, 2026 · Updated May 28, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel mac80211 allows physically proximate attackers to corrupt kernel memory via spoofed DFS radar pulses. The radar-detection worker uses ordinary list iteration even though ieee80211_dfs_cac_cancel can free and unlink the current channel context. An affected MLO or split-PHY access point must perform CAC on a DFS channel; continued traversal can disclose or corrupt kernel memory or panic the kernel.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel mac80211 allows physically proximate attackers to corrupt kernel memory via spoofed DFS radar pulses. The radar-detection worker uses ordinary list iteration even though ieee80211_dfs_cac_cancel can free and unlink the current channel context. An affected MLO or split-PHY access point must perform CAC on a DFS channel; continued traversal can disclose or corrupt kernel memory or panic the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46166
Published
May 28, 2026
Updated
May 28, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, CWE-825
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 28, 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=6.12
  2. Affected versionversion=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <120149fb3ebcf674832ca3cafd32bedcdb686dde
  3. Affected versionversion=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <7577a4b8a10fab45a6ee2045ea038a5adadbb585
  4. Affected versionversion=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <887ece6c23b49d02a6678e7a8d5ad213d75883ce
  5. Affected versionversion=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <ac8eb3e18f41e2cc8492cc1d358bcb786c850270

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.12; version=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <120149fb3ebcf674832ca3cafd32bedcdb686dde; version=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <7577a4b8a10fab45a6ee2045ea038a5adadbb585; version=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <887ece6c23b49d02a6678e7a8d5ad213d75883ce; version=bca8bc0399ac2efd56e6adbed0307e10125a556c <ac8eb3e18f41e2cc8492cc1d358bcb786c850270

Published CVSS scores

8.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Red Hat SADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
CWE-825Expired Pointer Dereference

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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