# CVE-2026-46162: ice: fix double free in ice_sf_eth_activate() error path

> A double free vulnerability in the Linux kernel ice driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted network traffic.

- **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:** 28 May 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-46162, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46162, GHSA-cw9h-69mp-f4jq, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46162

## What is CVE-2026-46162?

CVE-2026-46162 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 28 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:

ice: fix double free in ice_sf_eth_activate() error path

When auxiliary_device_add() fails, ice_sf_eth_activate() jumps to
aux_dev_uninit and calls auxiliary_device_uninit(&sf_dev->adev).

The device release callback ice_sf_dev_release() frees sf_dev, but
the current error path falls through to sf_dev_free and calls
kfree(sf_dev) again, causing a double free.

Keep kfree(sf_dev) for the auxiliary_device_init() failure path, but
avoid falling through to sf_dev_free after auxiliary_device_uninit().

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46162?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46162?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-46162 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46162 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-2026-46162 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46162 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 28 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-2026-46162 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-2026-46162/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46162/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46162
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46162
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46162

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46162/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.