CVE-2026-46180 wifi: brcmfmac: Fix potential use-after-free issue when stopping watchdog task
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's brcmfmac Wi-Fi driver allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-46180?
CVE-2026-46180 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:
wifi: brcmfmac: Fix potential use-after-free issue when stopping watchdog task
Watchdog task might end between send_sig() and kthread_stop() calls, what results in the use-after-free issue. Fix this by increasing watchdog task reference count before calling send_sig() and dropping it by switching to kthread_stop_put().
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46180?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2026-46180?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-46180 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46180 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as AZL-89036, BELL-CVE-2026-46180, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46180, GHSA-jmx9-9wwr-m2r4, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-46180, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-46180 and 3 more.