Highly exploitable, CVE-2026-53373 poses a critical security risk that could lead to severe breaches.
Status: Received on 19 Jul 2026, 11:16 UTC
Last updated: 🕒 20 Jul 2026, 15:16 UTC
Originally published on: 🕚 19 Jul 2026, 11:16 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 1 days
CVSS Release: version 3
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-53373: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/vma: do not try to unmap a VMA if mmap_prepare() invoked from mmap() The mmap_prepare hook functionality includes the ability to invoke mmap_prepare() from the mmap() hook of existing 'stacked' drivers, that is ones which are capable of calling the mmap hooks of other drivers/file systems (e.g. overlayfs, shm). As part of the mmap_prepare action functionality, we deal with errors by unmapping the VMA should one arise. This works in the usual mmap_prepare case, as we invoke this action at the last moment, when the VMA is established in the maple tree. However, the mmap() hook passes a not-fully-established VMA pointer to the caller (which is the motivation behind the mmap_prepare() work), which is detached. So attempting to unmap a VMA in this state will be problematic, with the most obvious symptom being a warning in vma_mark_detached(), because the VMA is already detached. It's also unncessary - the mmap() handler will clean up the VMA on error. So to fix this issue, this patch propagates whether or not an mmap action is being completed via the compatibility layer or directly. If the former, then we do not attempt VMA cleanup, if the latter, then we do. This patch also updates the userland VMA tests to reflect the change.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-53373 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-2026-53373 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-2026-53373, 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-2026-53373, 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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