# CVE-2026-46081: crypto: acomp - fix wrong pointer stored by acomp_save_req()

> A pointer error in the Linux kernel crypto subsystem causes memory corruption during asynchronous compression, potentially leading to crashes or code execution.

- **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-2026-46081, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46081, GHSA-pp4v-xc4h-7x6m, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46081

## What is CVE-2026-46081?

CVE-2026-46081 is a high-severity memory corruption 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:

crypto: acomp - fix wrong pointer stored by acomp_save_req()

acomp_save_req() stores &req->chain in req->base.data. When
acomp_reqchain_done() is invoked on asynchronous completion, it receives
&req->chain as the data argument but casts it directly to struct
acomp_req. Since data points to the chain member, all subsequent field
accesses are at a wrong offset, resulting in memory corruption.

The issue occurs when an asynchronous hardware implementation, such as
the QAT driver, completes a request that uses the DMA virtual address
interface (e.g. acomp_request_set_src_dma()). This combination causes
crypto_acomp_compress() to enter the acomp_do_req_chain() path, which
sets acomp_reqchain_done() as the completion callback via
acomp_save_req().

With KASAN enabled, this manifests as a general protection fault in
acomp_reqchain_done():

  general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xe000040000000000
  KASAN: probably user-memory-access in range [0x0000400000000000-0x0000400000000007]
  RIP: 0010:acomp_reqchain_done+0x15b/0x4e0
  Call Trace:
   <IRQ>
   qat_comp_alg_callback+0x5d/0xa0 [intel_qat]
   adf_ring_response_handler+0x376/0x8b0 [intel_qat]
   adf_response_handler+0x60/0x170 [intel_qat]
   tasklet_action_common+0x223/0x820
   handle_softirqs+0x1ab/0x640
   </IRQ>

Fix this by storing the request itself in req->base.data instead of
&req->chain, so that acomp_reqchain_done() receives the correct pointer.
Simplify acomp_restore_req() accordingly to access req->chain directly.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46081?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46081?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-46081 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46081 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-2026-46081 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46081 is a high-severity memory corruption 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-2026-46081 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-2026-46081/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46081/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46081
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46081
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46081

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46081/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.