CVE-2026-74676

Unauthorized keyboard meta-mode changes via unchecked ioctl

Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 25, 2026

Access-control failure in the Linux kernel allows local users to alter keyboard meta mode on a non-controlling console. The KDSKBMETA branch in vt_k_ioctl() changes the console keyboard's meta-key handling without applying the permission test used by the other setter ioctls. A low-privileged local process with access to a console device can make an unauthorized keyboard-setting change outside its controlling console; no remote impact is established.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

Access-control failure in the Linux kernel allows local users to alter keyboard meta mode on a non-controlling console. The KDSKBMETA branch in vt_k_ioctl() changes the console keyboard's meta-key handling without applying the permission test used by the other setter ioctls. A low-privileged local process with access to a console device can make an unauthorized keyboard-setting change outside its controlling console; no remote impact is established.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74676
Published
Aug 22, 2026
Updated
Aug 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-1220
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 25, 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1c5b67a1e2cb7d78dab321280f330b056e3bf437
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4671c3b79e337bbae28c2d79023dc642df012bde
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7bf32337a7103ccb686cbd240324bf26225ef2d6
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9f8cbaf4b774694dcc292e60509762483ebfd9ae
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a1c31e026c93e378e297a8df8328983d3013a59f
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a7ad0034453ba4c353f9b8f810ee2569de33d283
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d8ead5083b203d12b8319e7cb29cc6b8836e813f
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ddc4a8303347114e945b9e6e81b81d77855f7358
  9. Affected versionversion=2.6.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1c5b67a1e2cb7d78dab321280f330b056e3bf437; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4671c3b79e337bbae28c2d79023dc642df012bde; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7bf32337a7103ccb686cbd240324bf26225ef2d6; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9f8cbaf4b774694dcc292e60509762483ebfd9ae; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a1c31e026c93e378e297a8df8328983d3013a59f; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a7ad0034453ba4c353f9b8f810ee2569de33d283; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d8ead5083b203d12b8319e7cb29cc6b8836e813f; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ddc4a8303347114e945b9e6e81b81d77855f7358; version=2.6.12

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
3.3Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

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

CWE-1220Insufficient Granularity of Access Control

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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