CVE-2026-46333 ptrace: slightly saner 'get_dumpable()' logic
A flaw in Linux kernel ptrace logic allows bypassing capability restrictions, potentially enabling privilege escalation for attackers with root access.
- 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-2026-46333?
CVE-2026-46333 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 15 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:
ptrace: slightly saner 'get_dumpable()' logic
The 'dumpability' of a task is fundamentally about the memory image of the task - the concept comes from whether it can core dump or not - and makes no sense when you don't have an associated mm.
And almost all users do in fact use it only for the case where the task has a mm pointer.
But we have one odd special case: ptrace_may_access() uses 'dumpable' to check various other things entirely independently of the MM (typically explicitly using flags like PTRACE_MODE_READ_FSCREDS). Including for threads that no longer have a VM (and maybe never did, like most kernel threads).
It's not what this flag was designed for, but it is what it is.
The ptrace code does check that the uid/gid matches, so you do have to be uid-0 to see kernel thread details, but this means that the traditional "drop capabilities" model doesn't make any difference for this all.
Make it all make a *bit* more sense by saying that if you don't have a MM pointer, we'll use a cached "last dumpability" flag if the thread ever had a MM (it will be zero for kernel threads since it is never set), and require a proper CAP_SYS_PTRACE capability to override.
Weakness: CWE-269
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46333?
It affects 2 products.
Linux distribution packages (3)
kernel-obs-build SUSE:Linux Micro Extras 6.2 | All versions | 6.12.0-160000.32.1 |
kernel-syms SUSE:Linux Micro Extras 6.2 | All versions | 6.12.0-160000.32.1 |
kernel-source openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 7.0.9-1.1 |
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2026-46333?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2026-46333 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-46333 exists.
Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module and 5 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as AZL-86888, AZL-86999, BELL-CVE-2026-46333, CLSA-2026-1779179460, CLSA-2026-1779180310, CLSA-2026-1779180837 and 16 more.