Linux Kernel up to 7.2-rc4 binfmt_misc load_misc_binary null pointer dereference

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5.3	$0-$5k	2.49

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.147/6.12.100/6.18.41/7.1.5/7.2-rc4. Impacted is the function load_misc_binary of the component binfmt_misc. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-68186. The attack needs to be launched locally. No exploit is available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.147/6.12.100/6.18.41/7.1.5/7.2-rc4 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function load_misc_binary of the component binfmt_misc. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: binfmt_misc: set have_execfd only once the interpreter is opened load_misc_binary() raises bprm->have_execfd as soon as it sees the 'O' (or 'C') flag. This happens well before it opens the interpreter. If that open fails the flag stays set on the bprm. binfmt_misc is at the head of the format list so an interpreter open failure that returns -ENOEXEC lets the search fall through to a later format. This means it runs the matched binary directly having never staged an interpreter. So bprm->executable is NULL while have_execfd falsely claims a descriptor is present. Consequently, begin_new_exec() dereferences the missing executable: would_dump(bprm, bprm->executable); and NULL derefs. Had it not, the hand-off later in the same function would have failed anyway. FD_ADD(0, bprm->executable) rejects a NULL file with -ENOMEM. Both sites are past the point of no return so the exec cannot be unwound either way. This can be reached by unprivileged users as binfmt_misc can be mounted in user namespaces. So a user can register an 'O' entry whose interpreter lives on a FUSE mount, have the FUSE server fail the open with -ENOEXEC and execute a native ELF file that matches the entry. have_execfd only means anything alongside the executable it describes which is not set until the interpreter has been opened and staged. So lets raise it there, next to execfd_creds, which is already set at that point. An open failure now leaves it clear, so the fallback format derives credentials from the binary and emits no AT_EXECFD, as it would for any native exec. The argv rewrite load_misc_binary() performs before the open is still not undone. This means the binary sees the interpreter path in argv[0] and its own path in argv[1] but that predates this change and only became observable once the exec stopped faulting.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-68186 since 07/30/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. Attacking locally is a requirement. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 6.6.148, 6.12.101, 6.18.42, 7.1.6 or 7.2-rc5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 0f19d54e2524f0bf183b82f365ae4e49b4a2f788/2dd0298905e97795a9c5ec30cf5b41975f821632/1cd4e9b7967dab48c9f79a00b06ffff7208c0993/5ccc99d58f94fad258c9c375715b3974e48620e8/bbf5f639918dc011aaf60aab8480218758ee68c5 is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.0
• 6.1
• 6.2
• 6.3
• 6.4
• 6.5
• 6.6
• 6.6.147
• 6.7
• 6.8
• 6.9
• 6.10
• 6.11
• 6.12.100
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 7.1.0
• 7.1.1
• 7.1.2
• 7.1.3
• 7.1.4
• 7.1.5
• 7.2-rc1
• 7.2-rc2
• 7.2-rc3
• 7.2-rc4

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.148/6.12.101/6.18.42/7.1.6/7.2-rc5
Patch: 0f19d54e2524f0bf183b82f365ae4e49b4a2f788/2dd0298905e97795a9c5ec30cf5b41975f821632/1cd4e9b7967dab48c9f79a00b06ffff7208c0993/5ccc99d58f94fad258c9c375715b3974e48620e8/bbf5f639918dc011aaf60aab8480218758ee68c5

Timelineinfo

07/30/2026 CVE reserved
08/10/2026 +11 days Advisory disclosed
08/10/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
08/10/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-68186 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-68186
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-387535

Entryinfo

Created: 08/10/2026 15:53
Changes: 08/10/2026 15:53 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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Discussion

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