CVE-2026-97418Hinoki check available

Kernel crash via unchecked ES18xx control allocation

Published Sep 24, 2026 · Updated Sep 24, 2026

A NULL-pointer dereference in Linux before 6.12.111 and 6.18.53 allows attackers to crash the kernel when ES18xx control allocation fails. snd_es18xx_mixer uses snd_ctl_new1 results for bookkeeping and private_free setup without first rejecting NULL pointers. Reachability requires the snd-es18xx driver, compatible ESS AudioDrive hardware, and allocation failure during mixer initialization; the resulting kernel fault interrupts the system.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

A NULL-pointer dereference in Linux before 6.12.111 and 6.18.53 allows attackers to crash the kernel when ES18xx control allocation fails. snd_es18xx_mixer uses snd_ctl_new1 results for bookkeeping and private_free setup without first rejecting NULL pointers. Reachability requires the snd-es18xx driver, compatible ESS AudioDrive hardware, and allocation failure during mixer initialization; the resulting kernel fault interrupts the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-97418
Published
Sep 24, 2026
Updated
Sep 24, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 24, 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=0 <6.12.111
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <6.18.53
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <422e42b7c2b882ba1d16d4afc8891bcea7c4de93
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <978079238f40f1a08ddb12ce208c484246f6a1b0
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d88c24b76f285df9d206751e22c28e2613258cb3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0 <6.12.111; version=0 <6.18.53; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <422e42b7c2b882ba1d16d4afc8891bcea7c4de93; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <978079238f40f1a08ddb12ce208c484246f6a1b0; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d88c24b76f285df9d206751e22c28e2613258cb3

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.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

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

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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