CVE-2026-74574

System hang and use-after-free via IDXD cleanup

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel allows attackers to hang the system or access freed memory through an IDXD file-device setup failure. In idxd_cdev_open(), failed_dev_add and failed_dev_name call put_device() while wq->wq_lock is held, causing the synchronous release callback to retake that lock; cleanup then falls through and reuses and frees ctx after the callback already freed it. Reachability requires the IDXD character-device open path and a file-device setup failure; the reported consequences are a deadlock and invalid cleanup on freed memory.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.12%
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 the Linux kernel allows attackers to hang the system or access freed memory through an IDXD file-device setup failure. In idxd_cdev_open(), failed_dev_add and failed_dev_name call put_device() while wq->wq_lock is held, causing the synchronous release callback to retake that lock; cleanup then falls through and reuses and frees ctx after the callback already freed it. Reachability requires the IDXD character-device open path and a file-device setup failure; the reported consequences are a deadlock and invalid cleanup on freed memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74574
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

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=6.4
  2. Affected versionversion=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <0679c0c189d2548f00e1bac95be28e2df5c6c7f7
  3. Affected versionversion=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <6e26a41c4c1a706edaaa7c7dffc6b3b945707a55
  4. Affected versionversion=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <778ccbded2c8749c5be7f0dfa04fc9977a36fb7e
  5. Affected versionversion=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <8d5d28285728be47c82fdf1c48be4268293c90e7
  6. Affected versionversion=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <ee1d7274102285d78a53161fc705a8d8cd40b066

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.4; version=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <0679c0c189d2548f00e1bac95be28e2df5c6c7f7; version=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <6e26a41c4c1a706edaaa7c7dffc6b3b945707a55; version=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <778ccbded2c8749c5be7f0dfa04fc9977a36fb7e; version=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <8d5d28285728be47c82fdf1c48be4268293c90e7; version=e6fd6d7e5f0fe4a17a08e892afb5db800e7794ec <ee1d7274102285d78a53161fc705a8d8cd40b066

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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