CVE-2026-53403

Local kernel crash via stale framebuffer mode

Published Jul 19, 2026 · Updated Jul 19, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel stable branches allows local users to crash the kernel through the fbdev model-list interface. In fb_new_modelist, store_modes replaces info->modelist without retaining the mode in info->var when fbcon is unbound, so a later console takeover passes a NULL mode into fb_videomode_to_var. Low-privileged local access and an unbound fbcon are required; successful exploitation interrupts the system by crashing the kernel.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel stable branches allows local users to crash the kernel through the fbdev model-list interface. In fb_new_modelist, store_modes replaces info->modelist without retaining the mode in info->var when fbcon is unbound, so a later console takeover passes a NULL mode into fb_videomode_to_var. Low-privileged local access and an unbound fbcon are required; successful exploitation interrupts the system by crashing the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53403
Published
Jul 19, 2026
Updated
Jul 19, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 19, 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=0 <5.10.260
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <5.15.211
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <6.1.177
  4. Affected versionversion=0 <6.12.95
  5. Affected versionversion=0 <6.18.38
  6. Affected versionversion=0 <6.6.144
  7. Affected versionversion=0 <7.1.3
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0d8c7f21ad8529d5c181e61f86be35b887ae2e4d
  9. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1458a4d804550b7101e8bb02c1cb941088e4c0c7
  10. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4f1a7fe8ba845cb7d39580755f78c3b7b9a0b61e
  11. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7640b4f68acb54c2c4f6b4a8aee0e9849dacd929
  12. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7f08fc10fa3d3366dc3af723970bd03d7d6d10e3
  13. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8707f02ac9f5f632039b60df2c9f3dc914709f72
  14. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <88913059c77e171f44ba829282d42dde0d458811
  15. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <eea16b6f805c0b1fb2f72f0f771088ea45356956

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=0 <5.10.260; version=0 <5.15.211; version=0 <6.1.177; version=0 <6.12.95; version=0 <6.18.38; version=0 <6.6.144; version=0 <7.1.3; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0d8c7f21ad8529d5c181e61f86be35b887ae2e4d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1458a4d804550b7101e8bb02c1cb941088e4c0c7; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4f1a7fe8ba845cb7d39580755f78c3b7b9a0b61e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7640b4f68acb54c2c4f6b4a8aee0e9849dacd929; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7f08fc10fa3d3366dc3af723970bd03d7d6d10e3; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8707f02ac9f5f632039b60df2c9f3dc914709f72; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <88913059c77e171f44ba829282d42dde0d458811; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <eea16b6f805c0b1fb2f72f0f771088ea45356956

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
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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