# CVE-2026-46036: vfio/cdx: Serialize VFIO_DEVICE_SET_IRQS with a per-device mutex

> A race condition in the Linux kernel VFIO CDX driver allows a use-after-free, potentially enabling local attackers to execute code or escalate privileges.

- **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:** 27 May 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-46036, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46036, GHSA-mg62-wj4p-3wq4, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46036

## What is CVE-2026-46036?

CVE-2026-46036 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 May 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:

vfio/cdx: Serialize VFIO_DEVICE_SET_IRQS with a per-device mutex

vfio_cdx_set_msi_trigger() reads vdev->config_msi and operates on the
vdev->cdx_irqs array based on its value, but provides no serialization
against concurrent VFIO_DEVICE_SET_IRQS ioctls.  Two callers can race
such that one observes config_msi as set while another clears it and
frees cdx_irqs via vfio_cdx_msi_disable(), resulting in a use-after-free
of the cdx_irqs array.

Add a cdx_irqs_lock mutex to struct vfio_cdx_device and acquire it in
vfio_cdx_set_msi_trigger(), which is the single chokepoint through
which all updates to config_msi, cdx_irqs, and msi_count flow, covering
both the ioctl path and the close-device cleanup path.  This keeps the
test of config_msi atomic with the subsequent enable, disable, or
trigger operations.

Drop the pre-call !cdx_irqs test from vfio_cdx_irqs_cleanup() as part
of this change: the optimization it provided is redundant with the
!config_msi early-return inside vfio_cdx_msi_disable(), and leaving the
test in place would be an unsynchronized read of state the new lock is
meant to protect.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46036?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46036?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-46036 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46036 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-2026-46036 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46036 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 May 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-2026-46036 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-2026-46036/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46036/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46036
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46036
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46036

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46036/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.