CVE-2026-17523

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Kernel Code Execution Leads to Local Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-07-27

Last updated on: 2026-09-10

Assigner: redhat-SADP

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: can: bcm: switch timer to HRTIMER_MODE_SOFT and remove hrtimer_tasklet This patch switches the timer to HRTIMER_MODE_SOFT, which executed the timer callback in softirq context and removes the hrtimer_tasklet.

CVSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-07-27

Last Modified

2026-09-10

Generated

2026-09-26

AI Q&A

2026-07-27

EPSS Evaluated

2026-09-24

NVD

CVE-2026-17523

EUVD

EUVD-2026-49133

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
red_hat	enterprise_linux	8

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-825	The product dereferences a pointer that contains a location for memory that was previously valid, but is no longer valid.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-17523 is a flaw in the Linux kernel's CAN BCM module that allows an unprivileged local user to execute arbitrary code within the kernel. This leads to local privilege escalation, enabling the attacker to gain root access and full control of the system.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check if your Linux kernel version is affected by examining the CAN BCM module. Use commands like 'uname -a' to check the kernel version and 'lsmod | grep can_bcm' to verify if the CAN BCM module is loaded. If the module is present and the kernel version matches affected releases, further investigation is needed.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows an attacker with local access to escalate privileges to root, potentially leading to complete system compromise. It can be exploited without special requirements, though a PoC exists that uses unprivileged user namespaces and kernel-modules-extra.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability allows unprivileged local users to gain root privileges, which could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data. For GDPR, this may result in violations of data confidentiality and integrity requirements. For HIPAA, it could compromise protected health information by enabling unauthorized system access. Compliance frameworks typically require protection against such privilege escalation flaws to maintain security controls.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the official kernel patch from your distribution's vendor immediately. For Red Hat systems, update to a patched kernel version. Disable the CAN BCM module if not required using 'modprobe -r can_bcm'. Restrict access to unprivileged user namespaces if enabled, as it may aid exploitation.

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