CVE-2026-46180

Use-after-free via watchdog task shutdown race

Published May 28, 2026 · Updated May 28, 2026

Use-after-free in the brcmfmac SDIO driver in Linux Kernel allows local users to cause unspecified impact during watchdog shutdown. The stop path calls send_sig() and then kthread_stop() without retaining a reference, so the watchdog task can exit and free its task object between calls. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and brcmfmac SDIO watchdog teardown; the public record establishes no reliable consequence beyond the invalid access.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
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 the brcmfmac SDIO driver in Linux Kernel allows local users to cause unspecified impact during watchdog shutdown. The stop path calls send_sig() and then kthread_stop() without retaining a reference, so the watchdog task can exit and free its task object between calls. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and brcmfmac SDIO watchdog teardown; the public record establishes no reliable consequence beyond the invalid access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46180
Published
May 28, 2026
Updated
May 28, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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=3.3
  2. Affected versionversion=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <658d2e46c2e9a8eb9b80c5e803ce3c89885b3366
  3. Affected versionversion=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <908b92231e1ded53e43fcfad5e0704d83e1b803c
  4. Affected versionversion=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <c623b63580880cc742255eaed3d79804c1b91143
  5. Affected versionversion=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <d16827cb1d3936f7627d0da6044483f743ebde03
  6. Affected versionversion=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <ed4168d1a50fef5be8eca947fbbf05a28507d265

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=3.3; version=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <658d2e46c2e9a8eb9b80c5e803ce3c89885b3366; version=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <908b92231e1ded53e43fcfad5e0704d83e1b803c; version=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <c623b63580880cc742255eaed3d79804c1b91143; version=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <d16827cb1d3936f7627d0da6044483f743ebde03; version=a9ffda88be7416b8336f644806c2b3ed3ce08b26 <ed4168d1a50fef5be8eca947fbbf05a28507d265

Published CVSS scores

4.7Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-416Use After Free

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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