Categories
CVE-2026-53046 critical CVSS 9.8

Use-After-Free in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-53046)

Summary

Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-53046). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.

Original description

The description as published by the source.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ksmbd: fix use-after-free from async crypto on Qualcomm crypto engine

ksmbd_crypt_message() sets a NULL completion callback on AEAD requests
and does not handle the -EINPROGRESS return code from async hardware
crypto engines like the Qualcomm Crypto Engine (QCE). When QCE returns
-EINPROGRESS, ksmbd treats it as an error and immediately frees the
request while the hardware DMA operation is still in flight. The DMA
completion callback then dereferences freed memory, causing a NULL
pointer crash:

pc : qce_skcipher_done+0x24/0x174
lr : vchan_complete+0x230/0x27c
...
el1h_64_irq+0x68/0x6c
ksmbd_free_work_struct+0x20/0x118 [ksmbd]
ksmbd_exit_file_cache+0x694/0xa4c [ksmbd]

Use the standard crypto_wait_req() pattern with crypto_req_done() as
the completion callback, matching the approach used by the SMB client
in fs/smb/client/smb2ops.c. This properly handles both synchronous
engines (immediate return) and async engines (-EINPROGRESS followed
by callback notification).

Source: GitHub Security Advisories (Global) NVD GitHub Advisory

Auto-generated summary

Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.

A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-53046 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 9.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2026-53046" on the vendor's site.

CVE-2026-53046 (Linux kernel) — CWE-416 / CVSS v3 9.8
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.

❓ What is the problem

Use-after-free (CWE-416) exists in Linux kernel.

📍 Affected scope

Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.

🔥 Severity

Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.

🔧 How to fix

Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.

🛡️ Workaround

Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.

🔍 Detection

Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.

Response actions

Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order

  1. 1
    Identify exposure identify
    Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.

    資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。

  2. 2
    Post-deployment verification verify
    Confirm patched version is live in production

    パッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。

Affected packages

Linux Kernel
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"5.15.0"},{"fixed":"5.15.209"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"5.16.0"},{"fixed":"6.1.175"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.2.0"},{"fixed":"6.6.141"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.7.0"},{"fixed":"6.12.91"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.13.0"},{"fixed":"6.18.33"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.19.0"},{"fixed":"7.0.10"}]}]

Fix status by distribution

Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE

References

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