CVE-2026-53081

Local privilege escalation via BPF state-pruning mismatch

Published Jun 24, 2026 · Updated Jun 24, 2026

Improper state validation in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows local users to gain elevated privileges through a crafted BPF program. The regsafe and check_scalar_ids logic maps flagged BPF_ADD_CONST compound IDs without confirming that their stripped base IDs remain consistent, so unrelated register derivations can compare as equivalent. Incorrect state pruning can make the verifier accept an unsafe program; exploitation requires local low-privileged access and can compromise kernel confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper state validation in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows local users to gain elevated privileges through a crafted BPF program. The regsafe and check_scalar_ids logic maps flagged BPF_ADD_CONST compound IDs without confirming that their stripped base IDs remain consistent, so unrelated register derivations can compare as equivalent. Incorrect state pruning can make the verifier accept an unsafe program; exploitation requires local low-privileged access and can compromise kernel confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53081
Published
Jun 24, 2026
Updated
Jun 24, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-386, 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=6.11
  2. Affected versionversion=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <13c02881e49aac4c82b261faa26db9edf2567231
  3. Affected versionversion=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <2f2ec8e7730e21fc9bd49e0de9cdd58213ea24d0
  4. Affected versionversion=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <691adf738817275368ed56311b7d798d617823a3
  5. Affected versionversion=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <7d73c72cccac651acc891377a5e623e4021c6380

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.11; version=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <13c02881e49aac4c82b261faa26db9edf2567231; version=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <2f2ec8e7730e21fc9bd49e0de9cdd58213ea24d0; version=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <691adf738817275368ed56311b7d798d617823a3; version=98d7ca374ba4b39e7535613d40e159f09ca14da2 <7d73c72cccac651acc891377a5e623e4021c6380

Published CVSS scores

7.8Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8LinuxCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-386Symbolic Name not Mapping to Correct Object
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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