CVE-2026-46333

ptrace: slightly saner 'get_dumpable()' logic

Published May 15, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.1 High EPSS 4.3% KEV · Not listed
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4587-1 linux security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4588-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6274-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6275-1 linux security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8370-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8371-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8373-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8374-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8426-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8426-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8440-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8489-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8497-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8499-1 Linux kernel (Xilinx) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8528-1 Linux kernel (Xilinx ZynqMP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8569-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8388-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8388-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8393-1 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8461-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8462-1 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
References
Link Providers
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/15/9 cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/20/14 cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/20/16 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19521 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19540 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19568 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19569 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19664 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19666 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19705 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19711 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:19875 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:20051 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:20054 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:20129 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:20130 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:20299 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:20593 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:21701 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:21702 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:23468 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:23469 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:23470 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:23471 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:24814 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:33486 cve-icon
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-46333 cve-icon
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2477802 cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html cve-icon
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01363cb3fbd0238ffdeb09f53e9039c9edf8a730 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/15b828a46f305ae9f05a7c16914b3ce273474205 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a93a4fac7b6051d3be7cd1b015fe7320cd0404d cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/31e62c2ebbfdc3fe3dbdf5e02c92a9dc67087a3a cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4709234fd1b95136ceb789f639b1e7ea5de1b181 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e5b51e74a40d377bcd3081dd33fbaa0e1aa7e3d cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f907d345bae8f4b3f004c5abc56bf2dfb851ea7 cve-icon cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/93d4ba49d18e3d7fb41a9927c2d0cca5e9dfefd6 cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/0xdeadbeefnetwork/ssh-keysign-pwn cve-icon
https://github.com/0xdeadbeefnetwork/ssh-keysign-pwn/ cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/31e62c2ebbfdc3fe3dbdf5e02c92a9dc67087a3a cve-icon
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/05/msg00032.html cve-icon
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2026/05/msg00035.html cve-icon
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46333 cve-icon
https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-46333.json cve-icon
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46333 cve-icon
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title ptrace: slightly saner 'get_dumpable()' logic
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Nov 10, 2026, 12:47 PM
Reserved
May 13, 2026, 3:03 PM
Status
Modified
Published
May 15, 2026, 2:16 PM
Modified
Nov 10, 2026, 1:19 PM
Severity
Important
Public date
May 15, 2026, 5:55 AM