CVE-2026-74481

Kernel crash via unfrozen page-reporting worker

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel page reporting allows local users to crash an affected guest during suspend or hibernation. The page_reporting_process worker remains on nonfreezable system_wq while virtio_balloon deletes reporting virtqueues, so freed pages reach stale queue objects. Exploitation requires a virtio-balloon guest with page reporting, concurrent memory freeing, and an S3 or S4 transition; the observed result is a kernel fault and service interruption.

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

Use-after-free in Linux kernel page reporting allows local users to crash an affected guest during suspend or hibernation. The page_reporting_process worker remains on nonfreezable system_wq while virtio_balloon deletes reporting virtqueues, so freed pages reach stale queue objects. Exploitation requires a virtio-balloon guest with page reporting, concurrent memory freeing, and an S3 or S4 transition; the observed result is a kernel fault and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74481
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
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=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <0b45f6927a14914ff685fe0e6f9d11232a1e03df
  2. Affected versionversion=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <450f35f4d5a682a0796757e52295df58ddb63bc9
  3. Affected versionversion=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <b11907c905fa08eda925395f0724b7a409870f65
  4. Affected versionversion=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <f978048326570047e8216e81a67f9c71ef2bb1b1
  5. Affected versionversion=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <faf439b5fa7b231120eac4f7a617e0bfd4f6f5c7
  6. Affected versionversion=5.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <0b45f6927a14914ff685fe0e6f9d11232a1e03df; version=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <450f35f4d5a682a0796757e52295df58ddb63bc9; version=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <b11907c905fa08eda925395f0724b7a409870f65; version=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <f978048326570047e8216e81a67f9c71ef2bb1b1; version=36e66c554b5c6a9d17a229faca7a61693527b0bd <faf439b5fa7b231120eac4f7a617e0bfd4f6f5c7; version=5.7

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.7Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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

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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