CVE-2026-46333Public exploit

Root command execution via ptrace dumpability bypass

Published May 15, 2026 · Updated May 15, 2026

Privilege escalation in Linux Kernel allows local users to execute commands as root through ptrace-family operations. __ptrace_may_access() skips the dumpability check after a target loses its mm, letting pidfd_getfd() steal still-open descriptors during exit. A low-privilege local shell and a vulnerable privileged process are required; successful races expose root-owned files or authenticated IPC channels.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability1.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Linux Kernel allows local users to execute commands as root through ptrace-family operations. __ptrace_may_access() skips the dumpability check after a target loses its mm, letting pidfd_getfd() steal still-open descriptors during exit. A low-privilege local shell and a vulnerable privileged process are required; successful races expose root-owned files or authenticated IPC channels.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46333
Published
May 15, 2026
Updated
May 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 15, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <01363cb3fbd0238ffdeb09f53e9039c9edf8a730
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <15b828a46f305ae9f05a7c16914b3ce273474205
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2a93a4fac7b6051d3be7cd1b015fe7320cd0404d
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4709234fd1b95136ceb789f639b1e7ea5de1b181
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6e5b51e74a40d377bcd3081dd33fbaa0e1aa7e3d
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8f907d345bae8f4b3f004c5abc56bf2dfb851ea7
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <93d4ba49d18e3d7fb41a9927c2d0cca5e9dfefd6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <01363cb3fbd0238ffdeb09f53e9039c9edf8a730; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <15b828a46f305ae9f05a7c16914b3ce273474205; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2a93a4fac7b6051d3be7cd1b015fe7320cd0404d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4709234fd1b95136ceb789f639b1e7ea5de1b181; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6e5b51e74a40d377bcd3081dd33fbaa0e1aa7e3d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8f907d345bae8f4b3f004c5abc56bf2dfb851ea7; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <93d4ba49d18e3d7fb41a9927c2d0cca5e9dfefd6

Published CVSS scores

7.1kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.8redhat-SADPCVSS: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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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