---
title: "CVE-2026-89988: Linux Kernel - Use After Free"
description: "Linux kernel contains a use-after-free vulnerability caused by unsafe traversal and modification of kprobe_blacklist without proper synchronization, letting attackers cause memory corruption or system instability, exploit requires concurrent module unload and kprobe usage."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-89988/
---

# CVE-2026-89988 Linux Kernel - Use After Free

Linux kernel contains a use-after-free vulnerability caused by unsafe traversal and modification of kprobe\_blacklist without proper synchronization, letting attackers cause memory corruption or system instability, exploit requires concurrent module unload and kprobe usage.

CVSS base score 7.8 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.17% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89988)

## Details

Type

Use After Free

Impact

Denial Of Service, Privilege Escalation

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

16 September 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version with kprobe\_blacklist protected by RCU.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89988](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89988)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c4256196b3a105307e2235fbfd85e768bbcdd0f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c4256196b3a105307e2235fbfd85e768bbcdd0f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/518d9b5568bb06f86e4434f7a30faa9612ea91ad](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/518d9b5568bb06f86e4434f7a30faa9612ea91ad)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5da247e4d1e8661d4d6f997101d59967e8994e32](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5da247e4d1e8661d4d6f997101d59967e8994e32)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/630ed8734a02b992e8a97538179c2ece42c5210f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/630ed8734a02b992e8a97538179c2ece42c5210f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e62cf983a2bd547e6bbd3f935539233e5f97f8f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e62cf983a2bd547e6bbd3f935539233e5f97f8f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f406205003f741225f620f0e357ca0de71d45e3](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f406205003f741225f620f0e357ca0de71d45e3)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

Panop answers these inside your environment, for this CVE and every other finding.

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