CVE-2026-68461

Local kernel memory corruption via uninitialized secondary pointer

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Uninitialized pointer access in the Linux kernel 5.11 allows local users to crash the host or corrupt kernel memory. The fwnode_init() helper leaves fwnode_handle.secondary unset for stack objects or non-zeroed heap allocations, and later helpers dereference the residual value as a live firmware-node pointer. Reachability requires local low-privileged activity through an affected device-probe, property-lookup, or configfs software-node path; invalid state can panic the kernel or drive unsafe indirect calls and list operations.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Uninitialized pointer access in the Linux kernel 5.11 allows local users to crash the host or corrupt kernel memory. The fwnode_init() helper leaves fwnode_handle.secondary unset for stack objects or non-zeroed heap allocations, and later helpers dereference the residual value as a live firmware-node pointer. Reachability requires local low-privileged activity through an affected device-probe, property-lookup, or configfs software-node path; invalid state can panic the kernel or drive unsafe indirect calls and list operations.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-68461
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-824, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 15, 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=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <0198d579948322cda5178b9672d448375a32f947
  2. Affected versionversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <173b61c9276c7b3a5fbcc63ae7aafc897fee1e18
  3. Affected versionversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <7eba000621fff223dd7bab484d48918c7c77a307
  4. Affected versionversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <9c86a1f930bb2ddb85f867b4736716e82a4a4683
  5. Affected versionversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <c81e2af41de6a159837c7129a4fc444ac6e48046
  6. Affected versionversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <c8542b68ba6ef4f61072098893a3f5b71c569b6c
  7. Affected versionversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <f0b4e1cc8ad76baf49d898727eb52e91a4ef0544
  8. Affected versionversion=5.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <0198d579948322cda5178b9672d448375a32f947; version=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <173b61c9276c7b3a5fbcc63ae7aafc897fee1e18; version=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <7eba000621fff223dd7bab484d48918c7c77a307; version=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <9c86a1f930bb2ddb85f867b4736716e82a4a4683; version=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <c81e2af41de6a159837c7129a4fc444ac6e48046; version=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <c8542b68ba6ef4f61072098893a3f5b71c569b6c; version=01bb86b380a306bd937c96da36f66429f3362137 <f0b4e1cc8ad76baf49d898727eb52e91a4ef0544; version=5.11

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CVE TeamCVSS: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

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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-824Access of Uninitialized Pointer
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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