Kernel memory corruption via unsafe BPF field destruction
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Unsafe field destruction in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to corrupt kernel memory or crash the system through BPF map recycling. Array and hash map update or deletion paths call bpf_obj_free_fields on recycled values, running kptr destruction, uptr unpinning, and graph teardown in unsafe contexts such as NMI. Reaching this path requires permission to load tracing or performance BPF programs and maps containing kptr, uptr, or graph fields.
Summary
What happened
Unsafe field destruction in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to corrupt kernel memory or crash the system through BPF map recycling. Array and hash map update or deletion paths call bpf_obj_free_fields on recycled values, running kptr destruction, uptr unpinning, and graph teardown in unsafe contexts such as NMI. Reaching this path requires permission to load tracing or performance BPF programs and maps containing kptr, uptr, or graph fields.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-74314
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=14a324f6a67ef6a53e04362a70160a47eb8afffa <9ea734e2cc0143d7429ab7dc0b20c85e5836183c
- Affected versionversion=14a324f6a67ef6a53e04362a70160a47eb8afffa <a3a81d247651218e47153f2d2afd7aee236726fd
- Affected versionversion=5.18.18 <5.19
- Affected versionversion=5.19
- Affected versionversion=f0462d38589422bc9e27fd3c6343dfeb6b3db2f9
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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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