Highly exploitable, CVE-2026-23012 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Analyzed
Last updated: 🕢 25 Mar 2026, 19:49 UTC
Originally published on: 🕒 25 Jan 2026, 15:15 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 59 days
CVSS Release: version 3
nvd@nist.gov
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-23012: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/damon/core: remove call_control in inactive contexts If damon_call() is executed against a DAMON context that is not running, the function returns error while keeping the damon_call_control object linked to the context's call_controls list. Let's suppose the object is deallocated after the damon_call(), and yet another damon_call() is executed against the same context. The function tries to add the new damon_call_control object to the call_controls list, which still has the pointer to the previous damon_call_control object, which is deallocated. As a result, use-after-free happens. This can actually be triggered using the DAMON sysfs interface. It is not easily exploitable since it requires the sysfs write permission and making a definitely weird file writes, though. Please refer to the report for more details about the issue reproduction steps. Fix the issue by making two changes. Firstly, move the final kdamond_call() for cancelling all existing damon_call() requests from terminating DAMON context to be done before the ctx->kdamond reset. This makes any code that sees NULL ctx->kdamond can safely assume the context may not access damon_call() requests anymore. Secondly, let damon_call() to cleanup the damon_call_control objects that were added to the already-terminated DAMON context, before returning the error.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-23012 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-23012 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-23012, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-23012, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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