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major vulnerability· requires attention

A high-severity Linux kernel vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) affects the ubiquitous kernel; successful exploitation can compromise servers and endpoints across organizations.

Systems

CVE-2026-74433

9.8
Critical
EPSS 0.35%Patch availableAug 17, 2026

Linux kernel rxrpc use-after-free enables kernel compromise via crafted packets

common questions

Is CVE-2026-74433 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2026-74433 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 0.35% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How severe is CVE-2026-74433?

CVE-2026-74433 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. 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-2026-74433?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-74433. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-74433 affect?

CVE-2026-74433 affects Linux kernel (rxrpc subsystem), AFS/rxrpc-enabled systems, Linux distributions using affected kernels. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-74433?

Apply vendor/kernel updates or backported patches immediately

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
Linux kernel (rxrpc subsystem)AFS/rxrpc-enabled systemsLinux distributions using affected kernels
impact

Remote-triggerable use-after-free in rxrpc can cause kernel panic, privilege escalation, or possible remote code execution.

action required

Immediate action required

affected versions
Linux Linux
  • affected>= 9d1d2b59341f58126a69b51f9f5f8ccb9f12e54a and < 844b8525ce503405c462ad67f750bec648720397
  • affected>= 9d1d2b59341f58126a69b51f9f5f8ccb9f12e54a and < 83bb0ed050e2ad9453d8ef50e4d6e624eac6eed8
  • affected>= 9d1d2b59341f58126a69b51f9f5f8ccb9f12e54a and < 107a4cb0d47e735830f852d83970d5c81f8e1e08
  • affected6.16
vendor says fixed in< 6.16, >= 6.18.40 and <= 6.18.*, >= 7.1.5 and <= 7.1.*, >= 7.2 and <= *

As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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