CVE-2026-46113
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) x86 shadow paging mechanism. This use-after-free vulnerability arises from incorrect handling of Guest Frame Numbers (GFNs) when guest page tables are modified. A local attacker with control over a guest virtual machine could exploit this to dereference freed memory, potentially leading to information disclosure, privilege escalation, or a denial of service (DoS).
Statement
The attack vector is from the guest to the host if KVM being used (and Shadow paging being used). KVM x86 shadow paging can leave a stale rmap entry when a direct shadow page is reused with an unexpected GFN after guest page table changes between VM entries. Later memslot deletion, dirty logging, or MMU notifier invalidation can walk the stale rmap and dereference a freed kvm_mmu_page, resulting in a use-after-free in the host kernel. For the CVSS the PR:L is used because a local actor with access to KVM or control of a guest execution context can influence the guest mappings and related memory management operations. The issue is not a normal network reachable bug, but it can cross the guest to host boundary in virtualized deployments. Impact is at least host denial of service and in the paranoid score may include confidentiality and integrity impact due to a plausible UAF based memory corruption primitive. For the paranoid score, choose the highest still-defensible interpretation supported by the bug class and patch context, with preference for manual-review sensitivity over autoclosed false negat ives.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.8 | N/A | 8.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Changed |
| Confidentiality | Low | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Memory
The use of previously freed memory may corrupt valid data, if the memory area in question has been allocated and used properly elsewhere.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
If chunk consolidation occurs after the use of previously freed data, the process may crash when invalid data is used as chunk information.
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Memory
Read operations on freed memory can sometimes leak sensitive information instead of causing a crash
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
If malicious data is entered before chunk consolidation can take place, it may be possible to take advantage of a write-what-where primitive to execute arbitrary code. If the newly allocated data happens to hold a class, in C++ for example, various function pointers may be scattered within the heap data. If one of these function pointers is overwritten with an address to valid shellcode, execution of arbitrary code can be achieved.
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