---
title: "CVE-2026-99053: Linux kernel - Use After Free"
description: "Linux kernel tipc contains a use-after-free vulnerability caused by returning a node after dropping its RCU read lock without taking a reference, letting attackers cause race conditions leading to use of freed memory, exploit requires concurrent access to tipc nodes."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-99053/
---

# CVE-2026-99053 Linux kernel - Use After Free

Linux kernel tipc contains a use-after-free vulnerability caused by returning a node after dropping its RCU read lock without taking a reference, letting attackers cause race conditions leading to use of freed memory, exploit requires concurrent access to tipc nodes.

CVSS base score 7.8 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.21% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99053)

## 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

23 October 2026

Updated

25 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version containing the fix for tipc node reference handling.

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-2026-99053](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99053)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17e73bae400f6a434dc006e3bee92c94cf781954](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17e73bae400f6a434dc006e3bee92c94cf781954)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c3b308ee6e25729a6cf09b69cdd0e093220d40b](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c3b308ee6e25729a6cf09b69cdd0e093220d40b)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b60259d4047fbb735476c729dcf9306a038b6110](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b60259d4047fbb735476c729dcf9306a038b6110)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f17e70206a1e763fcca2578a8db3c4eed0f843a9](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f17e70206a1e763fcca2578a8db3c4eed0f843a9)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1428c5f1d346a2e1ac9156713975a72246957009](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1428c5f1d346a2e1ac9156713975a72246957009)

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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

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