7.8 CVE-2026-46242
Enriched by CISA Patch
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
eventpoll: fix ep_remove struct eventpoll / struct file UAF
ep_remove() (via ep_remove_file()) cleared file->f_ep under
file->f_lock but then kept using @file inside the critical section
(is_file_epoll(), hlist_del_rcu() through the head, spin_unlock).
A concurrent __fput() taking the eventpoll_release() fastpath in
that window observed the transient NULL, skipped
eventpoll_release_file() and ran to f_op->release / file_free().
For the epoll-watches-epoll case, f_op->release is
ep_eventpoll_release() -> ep_clear_and_put() -> ep_free(), which
kfree()s the watched struct eventpoll. Its embedded ->refs
hlist_head is exactly where epi->fllink.pprev points, so the
subsequent hlist_del_rcu()'s "*pprev = next" scribbles into freed
kmalloc-192 memory.
In addition, struct file is SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU, so the slot
backing @file could be recycled by alloc_empty_file() --
reinitializing f_lock and f_ep -- while ep_remove() is still
nominally inside that lock. The upshot is an attacker-controllable
kmem_cache_free() against the wrong slab cache.
Pin @file via epi_fget() at the top of ep_remove() and gate the
critical section on the pin succeeding. With the pin held @file
cannot reach refcount zero, which holds __fput() off and
transitively keeps the watched struct eventpoll alive across the
hlist_del_rcu() and the f_lock use, closing both UAFs.
If the pin fails @file has already reached refcount zero and its
__fput() is in flight. Because we bailed before clearing f_ep,
that path takes the eventpoll_release() slow path into
eventpoll_release_file() and blocks on ep->mtx until the waiter
side's ep_clear_and_put() drops it. The bailed epi's share of
ep->refcount stays intact, so the trailing ep_refcount_dec_and_test()
in ep_clear_and_put() cannot free the eventpoll out from under
eventpoll_release_file(); the orphaned epi is then cleaned up
there.
A successful pin also proves we are not racing
eventpoll_release_file() on this epi, so drop the now-redundant
re-check of epi->dying under f_lock. The cheap lockless
READ_ONCE(epi->dying) fast-path bailout stays.
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46242
Categories
CWE-416 : Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer. If the product accesses a previously-freed pointer, then it means that a separate weakness or error already occurred previously, such as a race condition, an unexpected or poorly handled error condition, confusion over which part of the program is responsible for freeing the memory, performing the free too soon, etc. a pointer that no longer points to valid memory, often after it has been freed commonly used acronym for Use After Free Fuzz testing (fuzzing) is a powerful technique for generating large numbers of diverse inputs - either randomly or algorithmically - and dynamically invoking the code with those inputs. Even with random inputs, it is often capable of generating unexpected results such as crashes, memory corruption, or resource consumption. Fuzzing effectively produces repeatable test cases that clearly indicate bugs, which helps developers to diagnose the issues. Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.) Use tools that are integrated duringcompilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanismsrelated to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer(ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518]. Choose a language that provides automatic memory management. When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy. TCP/IP code for an OS has a use-after-free that can leak heap memory contents Chain: an operating system kernel has insufficent resource locking (CWE-413) leading to a use after free (CWE-416). Chain: two threads in a web browser use the same resource (CWE-366), but one of those threads can destroy the resource before the other has completed (CWE-416). Chain: mobile platform race condition (CWE-362) leading to use-after-free (CWE-416), as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV. Chain: race condition (CWE-362) leads to use-after-free (CWE-416), as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV. Use-after-free triggered by closing a connection while data is still being transmitted. Improper allocation for invalid data leads to use-after-free. certificate with a large number of Subject Alternate Names not properly handled in realloc, leading to use-after-free Timers are not disabled when a related object is deleted Access to a "dead" object that is being cleaned up object is deleted even with a non-zero reference count, and later accessed use-after-free involving request containing an invalid version number unload of an object that is currently being accessed by other functionality incorrectly tracking a reference count leads to use-after-free use-after-free related to use of uninitialized memory HTML document with incorrectly-nested tags Use after free in ActiveX object by providing a malformed argument to a method use-after-free by disconnecting during data transfer, or a message containing incorrect data types disconnect during a large data transfer causes incorrect reference count, leading to use-after-free use-after-free found by fuzzing Chain: race condition (CWE-362) from improper handling of a page transition in web client while an applet is loading (CWE-368) leads to use after free (CWE-416) realloc generates new buffer and pointer, but previous pointer is still retained, leading to use after free Use-after-free in web browser, probably resultant from not initializing memory. use-after-free when one thread accessed memory that was freed by another thread assignment of malformed values to certain properties triggers use after free mail server does not properly handle a long header. chain: integer overflow leads to use-after-free freed pointer dereference Chain: A multi-threaded race condition (CWE-367) allows attackers to cause two threads to process the same RPC request, which causes a use-after-free (CWE-416) in one thread
References
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 Patch
AFFECTED (from MITRE)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
|
| Linux | Linux |
|
| © 2022 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. | ||
CPE
| cpe | start | end |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | ||
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | >= 5.15.209 | < 5.16 |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | >= 6.1.175 | < 6.2 |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | >= 6.4 | < 6.18.33 |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | >= 6.19 | < 7.0.10 |
REMEDIATION
Patch
EXPLOITS
Exploit-db.com
| id | description | date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No known exploits | |||
POC Github
| Url |
|---|
| No known exploits |
Other Nist (github, ...)
| Url |
|---|
| No known exploits |
CAPEC
Common Attack Pattern Enumerations and Classifications
| id | description | severity |
|---|---|---|
| No entry | ||
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