What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53033?

CVE-2026-53033 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.2%.

Which versions of Linux Kernel are affected by CVE-2026-53033?

CVE-2026-53033, a Linux kernel privilege escalation flaw, affects systems where unprivileged users have access to BPF capabilities-particularly development workstations and container platforms.. A patch is available.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-53033?

24 hours: Inventory Linux systems and identify which expose BPF/sockmap capabilities to unprivileged users (check systems running eBPF tools, Kubernetes nodes, and observability infrastructure). 7 days: Obtain patched kernel version from vendor; develop and begin testing deployment plan for affected systems. 30 days: Complete kernel patching across all systems with unprivileged BPF access; validate BPF functionality post-patch and document compliance.

Linux Kernel CVE-2026-53033

EUVD-2026-38901 HIGH

Expired Pointer Dereference (CWE-825)

2026-06-24 Linux

GHSA-2f72-2chx-q8p6

Linux Information Disclosure

7.8

CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Linux

Severity by source

Vendor (Linux) PRIMARY

7.8 HIGH

AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

vuln.today AI

7.0 HIGH

Local BPF-capable user (PR:L, AV:L); a timing-sensitive race raises AC:H; freed-object reuse enables memory corruption with full C/I/A impact.

3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

4.0 AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).

CVSS VectorVendor: Linux

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

Analysis Generated

Jun 28, 2026 - 08:53 vuln.today

CVSS changed

Jun 28, 2026 - 08:22 NVD

7.8 (HIGH)

Patch available

Jun 24, 2026 - 18:02 EUVD

CVE Published

Jun 24, 2026 - 16:29 cve.org

HIGH 7.8

CVE Published

Jun 24, 2026 - 16:29 cve.org

UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

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

bpf, sockmap: Take state lock for af_unix iter

When a BPF iterator program updates a sockmap, there is a race condition in unix_stream_bpf_update_proto() where the peer pointer can become stale[1] during a state transition TCP_ESTABLISHED -> TCP_CLOSE.

CPU0 bpf CPU1 close -------- ---------- // unix_stream_bpf_update_proto() sk_pair = unix_peer(sk) if (unlikely(!sk_pair)) return -EINVAL; // unix_release_sock() skpair = unix_peer(sk); unix_peer(sk) = NULL; sock_put(skpair) sock_hold(sk_pair) // UaF

More practically, this fix guarantees that the iterator program is consistently provided with a unix socket that remains stable during iterator execution.

[1]: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in unix_stream_bpf_update_proto+0x155/0x490 Write of size 4 at addr ffff8881178c9a00 by task test_progs/2231 Call Trace: dump_stack_lvl+0x5d/0x80 print_report+0x170/0x4f3 kasan_report+0xe4/0x1c0 kasan_check_range+0x125/0x200 unix_stream_bpf_update_proto+0x155/0x490 sock_map_link+0x71c/0xec0 sock_map_update_common+0xbc/0x600 sock_map_update_elem+0x19a/0x1f0 bpf_prog_bbbf56096cdd4f01_selective_dump_unix+0x20c/0x217 bpf_iter_run_prog+0x21e/0xae0 bpf_iter_unix_seq_show+0x1e0/0x2a0 bpf_seq_read+0x42c/0x10d0 vfs_read+0x171/0xb20 ksys_read+0xff/0x200 do_syscall_64+0xf7/0x5e0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

Allocated by task 2236: kasan_save_stack+0x30/0x50 kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30 __kasan_slab_alloc+0x63/0x80 kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x1d5/0x680 sk_prot_alloc+0x59/0x210 sk_alloc+0x34/0x470 unix_create1+0x86/0x8a0 unix_stream_connect+0x318/0x15b0 __sys_connect+0xfd/0x130 __x64_sys_connect+0x72/0xd0 do_syscall_64+0xf7/0x5e0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

Freed by task 2236: kasan_save_stack+0x30/0x50 kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x3b/0x70 __kasan_slab_free+0x47/0x70 kmem_cache_free+0x11c/0x590 __sk_destruct+0x432/0x6e0 unix_release_sock+0x9b3/0xf60 unix_release+0x8a/0xf0 __sock_release+0xb0/0x270 sock_close+0x18/0x20 __fput+0x36e/0xac0 fput_close_sync+0xe5/0x1a0 __x64_sys_close+0x7d/0xd0 do_syscall_64+0xf7/0x5e0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

AnalysisAI

Local privilege escalation via a use-after-free in the Linux kernel's BPF sockmap subsystem (unix_stream_bpf_update_proto) allows a local attacker with BPF/sockmap privileges to corrupt kernel memory by racing a BPF iterator program against an AF_UNIX socket close. The flaw is a race condition where the peer pointer becomes stale during a TCP_ESTABLISHED→TCP_CLOSE transition, leading to a sock_hold() on freed memory (confirmed by a KASAN slab-use-after-free report). …

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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata

Access

Gain local access with BPF capability

Delivery

Run BPF iterator updating sockmap

Exploit

Race AF_UNIX peer close (TCP_CLOSE)

Execution

Trigger use-after-free on freed peer sock

Impact

Corrupt kernel memory / escalate or DoS

Access

Gain local access with BPF capability

Delivery

Run BPF iterator updating sockmap

Exploit

Race AF_UNIX peer close (TCP_CLOSE)

Execution

Trigger use-after-free on freed peer sock

Impact

Corrupt kernel memory / escalate or DoS

Vulnerability AssessmentAI

Exploitation	Requires local code execution plus the privilege to load and run a BPF iterator program and update a sockmap (typically CAP_BPF/CAP_NET_ADMIN, or root, unless unprivileged BPF is enabled). … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment.
Risk Assessment	Signals are largely consistent and point to a genuine but access-gated local issue. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in.
Exploit Scenario	A local user (or a container workload) permitted to load BPF programs runs a BPF iterator over AF_UNIX sockets that updates a sockmap while simultaneously, on another thread, connecting and closing unix stream sockets to win the TCP_ESTABLISHED→TCP_CLOSE race. The stale peer pointer causes a sock_hold() on freed memory, which a skilled attacker can shape into kernel memory corruption for privilege escalation or trigger as a denial of service. …
Remediation	Patch available per vendor advisory - upgrade to a fixed stable kernel for your branch: 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, or 7.1 (or later), which adds the unix state lock around the iterator update. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report.

Recommended ActionAI

24 hours: Inventory Linux systems and identify which expose BPF/sockmap capabilities to unprivileged users (check systems running eBPF tools, Kubernetes nodes, and observability infrastructure). …

Threat intelligence, references, and detailed analysis are available after sign-in.