CVE-2026-46283: tpm: Use kfree_sensitive() to free auth session in tpm_dev_release()
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2026-46283 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.12% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 1.9% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 5.5, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 13 · Related 13Timeline
- 08-06-2026PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 14-06-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tpm: Use kfree_sensitive() to free auth session in tpm_dev_release() tpm_dev_release() uses plain kfree() to free chip->auth, which contains sensitive cryptographic material including HMAC session keys, nonces, and passphrase data (struct tpm2_auth). Every other code path that frees this structure uses kfree_sensitive() to zero the memory before releasing it: both tpm2_end_auth_session() and tpm_buf_check_hmac_response() do so. The tpm_dev_release() path is the only one that does not, leaving key material in freed slab memory until it is eventually overwritten. Use kfree_sensitive() for consistency with the rest of the driver and to ensure session keys are scrubbed during device teardown.
CVSS metrics
3 scores · 3 sources · 1 version- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.12%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
2%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
Decrease -0.04 pp
From 0.16% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeNo weakness data has been published for this record.
Affected systems
Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu111 products
- linuxAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 7.0.0-27.27
- linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-awsAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 7.0.0-1008.8
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Linux2 products
- linux≥ 699e3efd6c645c741ea4d6d58282c56b6d108cf7, < dd3ac52ea7a001406c7dbc663aae4b9f89da679a | ≥ 699e3efd6c645c741ea4d6d58282c56b6d108cf7, < 53e6d2d834df40960b655b353e7a8ff4d927e1c7 | ≥ 699e3efd6c645c741ea4d6d58282c56b6d108cf7, < 84ced03172da544c9f8c0862faad48104f519352 | ≥ 699e3efd6c645c741ea4d6d58282c56b6d108cf7, < c424d2664f08c77f08b4580b5f0cbaabf7c229b2 | 6.10
- linux_kernel≥ 6.10, < 6.12.86 | ≥ 6.13, < 6.18.27 | ≥ 6.19, < 7.0.4
Debian1 product
- linux< 6.12.86-1 | < 7.0.4-1
3 vendors · 114 products
