Kernel instability via regulator error-path mislocking
Published Jun 3, 2026 · Updated Jun 3, 2026
Improper locking in the Linux kernel regulator core allows local users to trigger kernel instability through a failed supply-regulator enable. The regulator_resolve_supply() error path calls _regulator_put() without regulator_list_mutex and clears the supply pointer without locking rdev against concurrent access. Local low-privileged access and a failed late enable are required; the public record demonstrates a lockdep warning, not a crash or reboot.
Summary
What happened
Improper locking in the Linux kernel regulator core allows local users to trigger kernel instability through a failed supply-regulator enable. The regulator_resolve_supply() error path calls _regulator_put() without regulator_list_mutex and clears the supply pointer without locking rdev against concurrent access. Local low-privileged access and a failed late enable are required; the public record demonstrates a lockdep warning, not a crash or reboot.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-46252
- Published
- Jun 3, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 3, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-667, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 3, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 3, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=36a1f1b6ddc6d1442424e29548e790633ca39c7b <497330b203d2c59c5ff3fa4c34d14494d7203bc3
- Affected versionversion=36a1f1b6ddc6d1442424e29548e790633ca39c7b <c66e0db0f37290b53c57994f998bb55590364fd0
- Affected versionversion=4.2
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
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo