# CVE-2026-23184: binder: fix UAF in binder_netlink_report()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel binder driver allows local attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via netlink reporting.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-23184, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23184, GHSA-hg9w-rxwp-fw28, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23184

## What is CVE-2026-23184?

CVE-2026-23184 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 14 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

binder: fix UAF in binder_netlink_report()

Oneway transactions sent to frozen targets via binder_proc_transaction()
return a BR_TRANSACTION_PENDING_FROZEN error but they are still treated
as successful since the target is expected to thaw at some point. It is
then not safe to access 't' after BR_TRANSACTION_PENDING_FROZEN errors
as the transaction could have been consumed by the now thawed target.

This is the case for binder_netlink_report() which derreferences 't'
after a pending frozen error, as pointed out by the following KASAN
report:

  ==================================================================
  BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in binder_netlink_report.isra.0+0x694/0x6c8
  Read of size 8 at addr ffff00000f98ba38 by task binder-util/522

  CPU: 4 UID: 0 PID: 522 Comm: binder-util Not tainted 6.19.0-rc6-00015-gc03e9c42ae8f #1 PREEMPT
  Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT)
  Call trace:
   binder_netlink_report.isra.0+0x694/0x6c8
   binder_transaction+0x66e4/0x79b8
   binder_thread_write+0xab4/0x4440
   binder_ioctl+0x1fd4/0x2940
   [...]

  Allocated by task 522:
   __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x17c/0x50c
   binder_transaction+0x584/0x79b8
   binder_thread_write+0xab4/0x4440
   binder_ioctl+0x1fd4/0x2940
   [...]

  Freed by task 488:
   kfree+0x1d0/0x420
   binder_free_transaction+0x150/0x234
   binder_thread_read+0x2d08/0x3ce4
   binder_ioctl+0x488/0x2940
   [...]
  ==================================================================

Instead, make a transaction copy so the data can be safely accessed by
binder_netlink_report() after a pending frozen error. While here, add a
comment about not using t->buffer in binder_netlink_report().

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23184?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23184?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-23184 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23184 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23184 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23184 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 14 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23184 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23184/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23184/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23184
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23184
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23184

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23184/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.