CVE-2026-53234

Kernel memory corruption via deferred network-device unregister

Published Jun 25, 2026 · Updated Jun 25, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel IBM EMAC driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during network-device removal. emac_remove tears down hardware before devres invokes unregister_netdev, so packet handlers can dereference freed dev->emacp or dev->mal resources. The race requires a bound IBM EMAC device to be removed while network processing remains possible; stale-pointer access can crash the system.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel IBM EMAC driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during network-device removal. emac_remove tears down hardware before devres invokes unregister_netdev, so packet handlers can dereference freed dev->emacp or dev->mal resources. The race requires a bound IBM EMAC device to be removed while network processing remains possible; stale-pointer access can crash the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53234
Published
Jun 25, 2026
Updated
Jun 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 25, 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=6.12
  2. Affected versionversion=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <a0130d682222ae21afc395aead7cd2d87e1a8358
  3. Affected versionversion=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <c09c2e236eef6f59e105f38a30f5439e6ccbcad7
  4. Affected versionversion=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <c12584cd6078085d707266be864e7e1cc91d74e3
  5. Affected versionversion=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <cf8e14db93eaecc4c0c58299be3b3183b0e53ed5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.12; version=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <a0130d682222ae21afc395aead7cd2d87e1a8358; version=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <c09c2e236eef6f59e105f38a30f5439e6ccbcad7; version=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <c12584cd6078085d707266be864e7e1cc91d74e3; version=a4dd8535a527061a01f2fd335596fa77ca240a96 <cf8e14db93eaecc4c0c58299be3b3183b0e53ed5

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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