Full Report
Red Hat security advisory (AV26-135)
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: Multiple Vulnerabilities in Red Hat Linux Kernel (AV26-135)
## CVE Details
- **CVE ID:** Multiple (Refer to Red Hat Security Portal for specific identifiers associated with the February 9–15, 2026 window).
- **CVSS Score:** Varies (Typically ranging from Moderate to Critical for kernel-level advisories).
- **CWE:** Commonly includes CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), CWE-416 (Use After Free), and CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference).
## Affected Systems
- **Products:**
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Real Time
- **Versions:** Multiple versions including 7.x, 8.x, and 9.x across various architectures (x86_64, s390x, ppc64le, aarch64).
- **Configurations:** Systems running affected kernel versions; specific modules (e.g., KVM, networking stacks, or filesystem drivers) may trigger specific flaws.
## Vulnerability Description
This advisory tracks a collection of updates released by Red Hat in mid-February 2026. These updates primarily address flaws in the Linux kernel. Typical flaws in these bundles involve memory management errors, race conditions in subsystem drivers, or logic errors in the networking stack that could allow for privilege escalation, memory corruption, or system instability.
## Exploitation
- **Status:** Not explicitly reported as exploited in the wild (refer to specific CVEs for individual status).
- **Complexity:** Varies (Typically Low to Medium).
- **Attack Vector:** Typically Local (Privilege Escalation) or Network (DoS/RCE depending on the specific subsystem affected).
## Impact
- **Confidentiality:** High (Potential for unauthorized data access).
- **Integrity:** High (Potential for unauthorized system modification).
- **Availability:** High (Potential for System Crash/Kernel Panic).
## Remediation
### Patches
Red Hat recommends updating to the latest kernel versions provided in the advisory updates:
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Update to latest `kernel-9.x` packages.
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Update to latest `kernel-4.18.x` packages.
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: Update to latest `kernel-3.10.x` packages.
- Run `yum update` or `dnf update` and reboot the system to apply kernel changes.
### Workarounds
- Mitigation depends on the specific CVE. Common workarounds include disabling unused kernel modules (e.g., `modprobe -n`), restricting unprivileged user namespaces, or applying `sysctl` hardening.
## Detection
- **Indicators of Compromise:** Unusual kernel oops/panic logs in `dmesg`, unexpected privilege changes for standard users, or unauthorized modifications to sensitive system files.
- **Detection methods and tools:**
- Use `rpm -q kernel` to verify if the running version is outdated.
- Utilize Red Hat Insights or OpenSCAP for vulnerability scanning.
## References
- Red Hat Security Advisories: hxxps[://]access[.]redhat[.]com/security/security-updates/security-advisories
- Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (AV26-135): hxxps[://]www[.]cyber[.]gc[.]ca/en/alerts-advisories/red-hat-security-advisory-av26-135