CVE-2026-46288

Kernel memory corruption via freed device-node dereference

Published Jun 8, 2026 · Updated Jun 8, 2026

Use-after-free in drivers/of/unittest.c in Linux Kernel allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during a unit-test boot. of_unittest_changeset() releases nchangeset while parent still aliases the same device_node, then property lookups dereference the freed object. Reachability requires booting a kernel built with CONFIG_OF_UNITTEST; no network, syscall, or ioctl path reaches the code on a running production kernel.

CVSS severity8.4
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 drivers/of/unittest.c in Linux Kernel allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during a unit-test boot. of_unittest_changeset() releases nchangeset while parent still aliases the same device_node, then property lookups dereference the freed object. Reachability requires booting a kernel built with CONFIG_OF_UNITTEST; no network, syscall, or ioctl path reaches the code on a running production kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46288
Published
Jun 8, 2026
Updated
Jun 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 8, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <37318d1a27c9cc5a70d3cd7e49e30ec86f2b8ca1
  2. Affected versionversion=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <6fdad20b7975bdc32e85b45f8f7c640f6687b81f
  3. Affected versionversion=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <7f0f0926f3010b10cff5e93446258f971e42f2fd
  4. Affected versionversion=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <faecdd423c27f0d6090156a435ba9dbbac0eaddb
  5. Affected versionversion=6.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <37318d1a27c9cc5a70d3cd7e49e30ec86f2b8ca1; version=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <6fdad20b7975bdc32e85b45f8f7c640f6687b81f; version=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <7f0f0926f3010b10cff5e93446258f971e42f2fd; version=1c668ea65506e67ce2eae07b69bb09fcdd86e309 <faecdd423c27f0d6090156a435ba9dbbac0eaddb; version=6.12

Published CVSS scores

8.4kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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-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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