CVE-2026-53032 bpf: Fix NULL deref in map_kptr_match_type for scalar regs

What is CVE-2026-53032?

CVE-2026-53032 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 Jun 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:

bpf: Fix NULL deref in map_kptr_match_type for scalar regs

Commit ab6c637ad027 ("bpf: Fix a bpf_kptr_xchg() issue with local kptr") refactored map_kptr_match_type() to branch on btf_is_kernel() before checking base_type(). A scalar register stored into a kptr slot has no btf, so the btf_is_kernel(reg->btf) call dereferences NULL.

Move the base_type() != PTR_TO_BTF_ID guard before any reg->btf access.

Weakness: CWE-476

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53032?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2026-53032?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2026-53032 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53032 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-53032, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53032, GHSA-vwfw-86r9-43wp, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-53032, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53032.