CVE-2026-16526
Local privilege escalation in PCP linux_sockets enabling root command execution.
Is CVE-2026-16526 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-16526 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.45% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-16526?
CVE-2026-16526 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-16526?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-16526. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-16526 affect?
CVE-2026-16526 affects PCP (Performance Co-Pilot) linux_sockets module, Linux systems with PCP installed and linux_sockets enabled. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-16526?
Apply vendor patch when available or disable linux_sockets; restrict local access and monitor logs.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Local privilege escalation: attacker with initial code execution can escalate to root and run arbitrary commands.
Immediate action required