CVE-2026-46259: Linux kernel · Use After Free
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in fefa0fcd78be465b7ad4c497fa6ec90d64194c04 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 1% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
- Automatable
- Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
- Technical impact
- Total control over the software or total information disclosure
CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-10-16.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in fefa0fcd78be465b7ad4c497fa6ec90d64194c04, dd8b13cb4ff1a4545a214ed897fdf2bc341155b6, c93a33f28f915d446eea6fb3f0e1def0b3af1982 +5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 3 Jun 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: procfs: fix missing RCU protection when reading real_parent in do_task_stat() When reading /proc/[pid]/stat, do_task_stat() accesses task->real_parent without proper RCU protection, which leads to: cpu 0 cpu 1 ----- ----- do_task_stat var = task->real_parent release_task call_rcu(delayed_put_task_struct) task_tgid_nr_ns(var) rcu_read_lock <--- Too late to protect task->real_parent! task_pid_ptr <--- UAF! rcu_read_unlock This patch uses task_ppid_nr_ns() instead of task_tgid_nr_ns() to add proper RCU protection for accessing task->real_parent.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fefa0fcd78be465b7ad4c497fa6ec90d64194c04 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c93a33f28f915d446eea6fb3f0e1def0b3af1982 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1c8dc5b5517546c68ffae40b948336122bb61306 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e64bd46a04a4fd61279aca9f53a664e9e5f7e7e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/73ec7c96601d61d52310c659145bb06d933a0fa6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f9ae386861e280b7631ca252f798d25575627ee (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dd8b13cb4ff1a4545a214ed897fdf2bc341155b6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/76149d53502cf17ef3ae454ff384551236fba867 (opens in a new tab)