CVE-2026-97949Public exploitHinoki check available

Kernel memory corruption via configfs symlink-rmdir race

Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux configfs from 2.6.16 allows attackers to corrupt kernel memory via a symlink-versus-rmdir race. configfs_get_config_item treats a hashed target dentry as live after configfs_rmdir drops its last item reference, letting get_target write through freed memory. Exploitation requires control of both operations on the same configfs target and precise race timing; public reproducers ran as UID 0 and produced KASAN crashes.

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

Use-after-free in Linux configfs from 2.6.16 allows attackers to corrupt kernel memory via a symlink-versus-rmdir race. configfs_get_config_item treats a hashed target dentry as live after configfs_rmdir drops its last item reference, letting get_target write through freed memory. Exploitation requires control of both operations on the same configfs target and precise race timing; public reproducers ran as UID 0 and produced KASAN crashes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-97949
Published
Sep 25, 2026
Updated
Sep 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 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=2.6.16
  2. Affected versionversion=7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <5d7cbfb65e47cc71d5d94d87d5d0d1679080f3eb
  3. Affected versionversion=7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <925d8564f1b2d9b46c5ab63b9bc942cea006da9b
  4. Affected versionversion=7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.16; version=7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <5d7cbfb65e47cc71d5d94d87d5d0d1679080f3eb; version=7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <925d8564f1b2d9b46c5ab63b9bc942cea006da9b; version=7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

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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