Local kernel crash via uninitialized fwctl class node
Published Jun 24, 2026 · Updated Jun 24, 2026
Denial of service in the fwctl subsystem of Linux Kernel allows local users to crash the system during CXL device removal. Because CXL initializes before fwctl, device_add() runs before fwctl_class registration, leaving knode_class uninitialized; later device_del() passes that node to klist_del() and dereferences NULL. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and an affected CXL device removal path; the documented consequence is a kernel crash with no confidentiality or integrity impact.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in the fwctl subsystem of Linux Kernel allows local users to crash the system during CXL device removal. Because CXL initializes before fwctl, device_add() runs before fwctl_class registration, leaving knode_class uninitialized; later device_del() passes that node to klist_del() and dereferences NULL. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and an affected CXL device removal path; the documented consequence is a kernel crash with no confidentiality or integrity impact.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53042
- Published
- Jun 24, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 24, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-824, T1499
- 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
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=6.15
- Affected versionversion=858ce2f56b5253063f61f6b1c58a6dbf5d71da0b <1075f2f590fdac147f8b8010c35b606564b5c7d7
- Affected versionversion=858ce2f56b5253063f61f6b1c58a6dbf5d71da0b <a28f56988c8e5bb9375806a5cfb0bf54d662ae3f
- Affected versionversion=858ce2f56b5253063f61f6b1c58a6dbf5d71da0b <a55f80233f384dc89ef3425b2e1dd0e6d44bcf29
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