CVE-2026-46240
Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete
Use-After-Free in Linux Kernel Iris Driver

Publication date: 2026-05-28

Last updated on: 2026-06-10

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: iris: Fix use-after-free in iris_release_internal_buffers() The recent change in commit 1dabf00ee206 ("media: iris: gen1: Destroy internal buffers after FW releases") introduced a regression where session_release_buf() may free the buffer. The caller, iris_release_internal_buffers(), continued to access `buffer` after the call, leading to a potential use-after-free. Fix this by setting BUF_ATTR_PENDING_RELEASE before calling session_release_buf(), and reverting the flag if the call fails. This ensures no dereference occurs after potential freeing.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-05-28
Last Modified
2026-06-10
Generated
2026-06-17
AI Q&A
2026-05-28
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-16
NVD
CVE-2026-46240
EUVD
EUVD-2026-32758
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 4 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 7.1
linux linux_kernel 7.1
linux linux_kernel From 6.18.16 (inc) to 6.18.32 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.19.6 (inc) to 7.0.9 (exc)
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Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-416 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 Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a use-after-free issue in the Linux kernel's media driver for iris. A recent change caused a regression where a buffer could be freed by the function session_release_buf(), but the caller iris_release_internal_buffers() would still access that buffer afterward. Accessing memory after it has been freed can lead to undefined behavior and potential security risks.

The fix involves setting a flag (BUF_ATTR_PENDING_RELEASE) before calling session_release_buf() to indicate the buffer is pending release, and reverting the flag if the call fails. This prevents any dereference of the buffer after it might have been freed.

Impact Analysis

A use-after-free vulnerability can lead to system instability, crashes, or potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges by exploiting the freed memory access. In this case, it affects the Linux kernel's media driver, which could impact systems using this driver if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

The vulnerability is fixed by updating the Linux kernel to a version that includes the patch which sets BUF_ATTR_PENDING_RELEASE before calling session_release_buf() and reverts the flag if the call fails. This prevents use-after-free by ensuring no dereference occurs after potential freeing.

Therefore, the immediate step is to apply the updated Linux kernel that contains this fix.

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