CVE-2026-53036

Kernel compromise via misencoded BPF JIT branches

Published Jun 24, 2026 · Updated Jun 24, 2026

Incorrect branch encoding in the arm64 BPF JIT in Linux Kernel allows local users to gain kernel code execution via a crafted BPF program. The check_imm macro validates signed branch displacements against an N+1-bit range, after which aarch64_insn_encode_immediate masks an oversized value into the narrower field and can reverse branch direction. Reachability requires an arm64 kernel with BPF JIT enabled and permission to load a suitably large BPF program; invalid control flow can expose or write kernel memory, execute kernel code, or crash or hang the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect branch encoding in the arm64 BPF JIT in Linux Kernel allows local users to gain kernel code execution via a crafted BPF program. The check_imm macro validates signed branch displacements against an N+1-bit range, after which aarch64_insn_encode_immediate masks an oversized value into the narrower field and can reverse branch direction. Reachability requires an arm64 kernel with BPF JIT enabled and permission to load a suitably large BPF program; invalid control flow can expose or write kernel memory, execute kernel code, or crash or hang the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53036
Published
Jun 24, 2026
Updated
Jun 24, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-193, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.18
  2. Affected versionversion=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <1a113b5497297871699cd498b1b83542e0db7f15
  3. Affected versionversion=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <1dd8be4ec722ce54e4cace59f3a4ba658111b3ec
  4. Affected versionversion=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <6927f0d6794aa73318bbfa929f1ff6065b0620df
  5. Affected versionversion=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <7fd3b41260c6120e7b60164afea5d961af6224f9
  6. Affected versionversion=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <a5dfeb3b61065039488342d43ae06d4729d955d4
  7. Affected versionversion=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <fb74defa1cca1a73177c0c761e641332e4f979a3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=3.18; version=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <1a113b5497297871699cd498b1b83542e0db7f15; version=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <1dd8be4ec722ce54e4cace59f3a4ba658111b3ec; version=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <6927f0d6794aa73318bbfa929f1ff6065b0620df; version=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <7fd3b41260c6120e7b60164afea5d961af6224f9; version=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <a5dfeb3b61065039488342d43ae06d4729d955d4; version=e54bcde3d69d40023ae77727213d14f920eb264a <fb74defa1cca1a73177c0c761e641332e4f979a3

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS: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 11, 2026Sep 17, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 17, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-193Off-by-one Error
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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

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Your stack

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