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Linux Kernel EUVDEUVD-2026-86068

| CVE-2026-97455 HIGH
2026-09-24 Linux GHSA-x2rf-q423-6x9j
8.4
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Linux
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Gain local CAP_SYS_ADMIN or firmware control
  2. Delivery
    Inject malicious AML control method (configfs/custom_method or DSDT)
  3. Exploit
    Trigger method termination via ACPICA interpreter
  4. Execution
    Dereference freed method locals/arguments
  5. Impact
    Kernel use-after-free crash or memory corruption

Vulnerability Assessment

Exploitation Conditions

Requires the attacker to control ACPI/AML content executed by the ACPICA interpreter: either malicious platform firmware providing crafted DSDT/SSDT tables, or a local privileged user (CAP_SYS_ADMIN) injecting AML via configfs/ACPI custom_method. Exploitation is bounded to defining a control method that, on termination in acpi_ds_terminate_control_method(), leaves stale references to method locals/arguments. Limiting factors: no remote or network path exists, no unprivileged trigger on default configurations, the outcome is predominantly a kernel crash (DoS) rather than reliable code execution, and systems on kernels 6.12.111 / 6.18.53 / 7.2 or later are patched.

Impact

This is the classic Linux-kernel-CVE profile where the raw score overstates real-world risk. NVD scores 8.4 with CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, but that vector is inconsistent with the actual trigger. A use-after-free in acpi_ds_terminate_control_method() is reached only through the ACPICA AML interpreter, which executes control methods from ACPI tables (DSDT/SSDT). Those tables come from platform firmware or, at runtime, from a privileged local operator injecting AML via configfs/custom_method (requiring CAP_SYS_ADMIN). That contradicts PR:N: there is no unauthenticated, unprivileged path to feed attacker-controlled AML on a normally configured system, so AC:L/PR:N is generous. No EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no public POC are present in the input, so all exploitation-probability signals are absent or low. The stated C:H/I:H is also questionable - a UAF of freed method locals/arguments is overwhelmingly a stability/crash (DoS) primitive; disclosure or code execution would require a difficult, kernel-version-specific heap-grooming exploit not evidenced here. Bottom line: patch it as routine kernel hygiene, but this is not a drop-everything priority. Key conflict to verify: CVSS advertises unauthenticated local access (AV:L/PR:N) while the code path requires either trusted firmware or CAP_SYS_ADMIN-level AML injection - treat auth requirements as vendor-unconfirmed.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker with the ability to supply malicious ACPI/AML - either via crafted platform firmware/DSDT on a device they physically control, or as a root/CAP_SYS_ADMIN local user loading AML through configfs custom_method - defines a control method whose termination leaves stale references to method locals and arguments. When acpi_ds_terminate_control_method() runs, the kernel dereferences freed objects, typically crashing the host (DoS), with a theoretical path to memory corruption. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 25, 2026

A use-after-free in the Linux kernel's ACPICA AML interpreter, reached through acpi_ds_terminate_control_method(), fails to clear references to a control method's locals and arguments on termination, leaving dangling pointers that can crash the kernel (denial of service). Affected are kernels built from the pre-fix code through the stable branches below 6.12.111 and 6.18.53 and the 7.2 line, with the CPE cpe:2.3:a:linux:linux:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* applying to unpatched builds; triggering requires control of ACPI/AML content - malicious platform firmware supplying crafted DSDT/SSDT tables, or a local user with CAP_SYS_ADMIN injecting AML via configfs/ACPI custom_method - so there is no remote or unprivileged path on default configurations, and the practical outcome is predominantly a kernel crash rather than reliable code execution. Vendor-released patches are 6.12.111, 6.18.53 and 7.2; no public exploit identified at time of analysis.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released kernel patches: upgrade to Linux 6.12.111 or 6.18.53 for the affected stable branches, or to 7.2 (or later) for mainline, or install the equivalent backported fix from your distribution vendor (the upstream commits are fe7b3d3b7490c2c0119f2d84fa33996dcbc71042, ef5a8d939c1e5b36e75450bbb5b6348faff4dcf3 and 945e87267cfd90937b3c637f87324cbb56998b72; see https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97455). Because exploitation depends on getting crafted AML into acpi_ds_terminate_control_method(), the highest-value compensating control is to remove the local AML-injection path: build the kernel without CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_METHOD (or otherwise prevent opening/writing /sys/kernel/config/acpi/table), which blocks CAP_SYS_ADMIN users from loading arbitrary tables - the trade-off is that legitimate ACPI table-override tooling and firmware debugging workflows stop working, and this does nothing against the firmware DSDT/SSDT vector. For the firmware vector, enforce UEFI Secure Boot with a controlled key hierarchy, enable firmware/SPI flash write protection and BIOS update authentication (or use verified/measured boot), since malicious or tampered platform firmware is otherwise trusted by the kernel before the fix runs; these measures do not protect a machine whose firmware is already compromised, and no software-only control on the kernel side can fully neutralize a hostile DSDT delivered at boot. Restricting local CAP_SYS_ADMIN (or root) access and physical/administrative access to affected hosts reduces exposure in multi-tenant or kiosk environments, at the cost of limiting legitimate privileged administration, and monitoring for unexpected kexec/reboot patterns or kernel oopses in acpi_ds_terminate_control_method() can provide early warning where patching must be staged.

Affected VersionsENISA

Linux 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fe7b3d3b7490c2c0119f2d84fa33996dcbc71042
Linux 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ef5a8d939c1e5b36e75450bbb5b6348faff4dcf3
Linux 0 <6.18.53
Linux patch: 6.18.53
Linux patch: 7.2
Linux 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <945e87267cfd90937b3c637f87324cbb56998b72
Linux patch: 6.12.111
Linux 0 <6.12.111

Affected Packages

euvd linux fix: 6.12.111, 6.18.53

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

ACPICA is the ACPI Component Architecture reference implementation that the Linux kernel embeds to parse and execute AML (ACPI Machine Language) bytecode from firmware-provided DSDT/SSDT tables. When a control method finishes executing, acpi_ds_terminate_control_method() is responsible for tearing down its interpreter state; the fix addresses a failure to clear the method node's references to local variables and arguments, leaving pointers into freed interpreter objects - the classic use-after-free (CWE-416) pattern, consistent with the 'Information Disclosure' tag while the assessed impact is a kernel crash with limited integrity effects. Because the vulnerable code only runs while executing AML that the interpreter has been asked to evaluate, the attack surface is restricted to AML sources the system accepts: platform firmware tables loaded at boot, or tables a privileged local user (CAP_SYS_ADMIN) writes through the ACPI custom_method/configfs interface (CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_METHOD). The two CPE entries both resolve to the upstream Linux kernel rather than a separate ACPICA package, so all distributions shipping the affected upstream code are in scope until they pick up the stable backports.

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Severity by source

Vendor (Linux) PRIMARY 8.4 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 5.3 MEDIUM

Reaching the UAF requires attacker-supplied AML via firmware or CAP_SYS_ADMIN (AV:L/PR:L/AC:H); impact is crash-dominant (A:H) with at most minor integrity and no confirmed disclosure.

3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
SUSE 6.7 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Red Hat 5.5 MEDIUM

Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).

CVSS VectorVendor: Linux

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

4
CVSS changed
Sep 25, 2026 - 05:23 NVD
8.4 (HIGH)
Patch available
Sep 24, 2026 - 17:03 EUVD
CVE Published
Sep 24, 2026 - 16:04 cve.org
HIGH 8.4
CVE Published
Sep 24, 2026 - 16:04 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

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

ACPICA: Fix use-after-free in acpi_ds_terminate_control_method()

Fix use-after-free issue in acpi_ds_terminate_control_method() by clearing references to method locals and arguments.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Linux kernel versions below 6.12.111, below 6.18.53, and in the 7.2 line contain a use-after-free in the ACPICA AML interpreter (CVE-2026-97455) that can crash the kernel, causing denial of service on affected systems. Exploitation requires control of ACPI/AML content via malicious firmware or a local user with CAP_SYS_ADMIN, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis. Leadership should prioritize patching where privileged local users or firmware supply chain risks exist, as the primary impact is availability loss on systems that cannot tolerate downtime.

Business Impact: Medium
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 97% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Linux kernel ACPICA runs on virtually all ACPI-based x86/ARM systems
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Medium

Priority Score

42
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +42
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Vendor StatusVendor

SUSE

Severity: Moderate
Product Status
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.0 Affected

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