Kernel crash via AF_UNIX sockmap update race
Published Jun 24, 2026 · Updated Jun 24, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux Kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel through an AF_UNIX connect and sockmap update race. unix_stream_connect marks a socket established before assigning its peer, so unix_stream_bpf_update_proto can pass the state check and call sock_hold on a NULL peer. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and precise concurrency with a sockmap update; the documented consequence is an availability-only kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux Kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel through an AF_UNIX connect and sockmap update race. unix_stream_connect marks a socket established before assigning its peer, so unix_stream_bpf_update_proto can pass the state check and call sock_hold on a NULL peer. Exploitation requires local low-privilege access and precise concurrency with a sockmap update; the documented consequence is an availability-only kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53034
- Published
- Jun 24, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 24, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 24, 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.
- Affected versionversion=5.15
- Affected versionversion=c63829182c37c2d6d0608976d15fa61ebebe9e6b <041eb6348d73ee5e15fc8161f1eac5a6e8289ca0
- Affected versionversion=c63829182c37c2d6d0608976d15fa61ebebe9e6b <37bfcd164161b47d00b1c3bd20adc816a6977ce0
- Affected versionversion=c63829182c37c2d6d0608976d15fa61ebebe9e6b <4913c94a3adcdbb64c552110c0c243cb1fdbb317
- Affected versionversion=c63829182c37c2d6d0608976d15fa61ebebe9e6b <75b7d3b3f8bd4e59eb3af1b11a43c64c0c2db6f4
- Affected versionversion=c63829182c37c2d6d0608976d15fa61ebebe9e6b <a94d3dd78ee8b63e6b8ad629081c952c93ee5a10
- Affected versionversion=c63829182c37c2d6d0608976d15fa61ebebe9e6b <dca38b7734d2ea00af4818ff3ae836fab33d5d5a
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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