CVE-2026-74517

Guest-to-host compromise via delayed EOI use-after-free

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux KVM x86 allows guest OS users to compromise the host through delayed I/O APIC EOI work processing. During VM teardown, kvm_ioapic_eoi_inject_work can deliver an asserted-line interrupt through freed vCPU and LAPIC objects because delayed work is canceled only after vCPU destruction. Reachability requires an x86 KVM guest with an in-kernel I/O APIC and a live vCPU that schedules work through KVM_RUN; consequences include host-kernel memory disclosure, corruption, or panic.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.14%
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 KVM x86 allows guest OS users to compromise the host through delayed I/O APIC EOI work processing. During VM teardown, kvm_ioapic_eoi_inject_work can deliver an asserted-line interrupt through freed vCPU and LAPIC objects because delayed work is canceled only after vCPU destruction. Reachability requires an x86 KVM guest with an in-kernel I/O APIC and a live vCPU that schedules work through KVM_RUN; consequences include host-kernel memory disclosure, corruption, or panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74517
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1611
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=17bcd714426386fda741a4bccd96a2870179344b <9910e835580fef3bef53b70241dd00c4bffad693
  2. Affected versionversion=17bcd714426386fda741a4bccd96a2870179344b <ed56a6b58222f9c1f4115a0bd2788dd6ed6022e2
  3. Affected versionversion=6.12.41 <6.13
  4. Affected versionversion=6.14
  5. Affected versionversion=c60f5156e62d0be6c53373b623f16a9e37e2208e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=17bcd714426386fda741a4bccd96a2870179344b <9910e835580fef3bef53b70241dd00c4bffad693; version=17bcd714426386fda741a4bccd96a2870179344b <ed56a6b58222f9c1f4115a0bd2788dd6ed6022e2; version=6.12.41 <6.13; version=6.14; version=c60f5156e62d0be6c53373b623f16a9e37e2208e

Published CVSS scores

5.8Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
9.3LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1611Escape to Host

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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