CVE-2026-74678Network attack vector

Remote host denial of service via buffer leak

Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 25, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows remote attackers to exhaust kernel memory through traffic over an ASIX AX88179/AX88178A USB NIC. With scatter-gather enabled, ax88179_tx_fixup() returns NULL after skb_linearize() fails without freeing the original skb; usbnet_start_xmit() then sees only NULL and cannot release it. Reachability requires the affected adapter as the host uplink and memory pressure that makes linearization fail; repeated traffic can cause OOM-killer thrashing and interrupt host service.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows remote attackers to exhaust kernel memory through traffic over an ASIX AX88179/AX88178A USB NIC. With scatter-gather enabled, ax88179_tx_fixup() returns NULL after skb_linearize() fails without freeing the original skb; usbnet_start_xmit() then sees only NULL and cannot release it. Reachability requires the affected adapter as the host uplink and memory pressure that makes linearization fail; repeated traffic can cause OOM-killer thrashing and interrupt host service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74678
Published
Aug 22, 2026
Updated
Aug 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-772, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <1c63303659a2264bd55d9813df74cb4caeed5922
  2. Affected versionversion=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <1f428e30947395d9b9aacee03e25a4e6cfcad7a4
  3. Affected versionversion=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <2be5091fa693b9119ad25a8bb8c149d236a23ade
  4. Affected versionversion=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <4039cd807a5a46dc5f7618fffae926b8ad8455eb
  5. Affected versionversion=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <58733b1dd46bb231d9d279c132a20ee46da1b664
  6. Affected versionversion=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <83a765cbd7b4d11b0b9fa1bb9d941ae911a2159b
  7. Affected versionversion=5.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <1c63303659a2264bd55d9813df74cb4caeed5922; version=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <1f428e30947395d9b9aacee03e25a4e6cfcad7a4; version=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <2be5091fa693b9119ad25a8bb8c149d236a23ade; version=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <4039cd807a5a46dc5f7618fffae926b8ad8455eb; version=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <58733b1dd46bb231d9d279c132a20ee46da1b664; version=16b1c4e01c89ba07367461e0bc4cb84993c2d027 <83a765cbd7b4d11b0b9fa1bb9d941ae911a2159b; version=5.17

Published CVSS scores

7.5Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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