A failure in the Linux kernel tracing subsystem may cause trigger_data_free() to dereference a NULL pointer, resulting in a kernel panic and a system reboot. The impact is a denial of service of the affected host, not a remote code execution or data theft.

The flaw resides in the Linux kernel tracing code, affecting all kernel releases that contain the trigger_data_free routine prior to the introduction of a NULL check. The vulnerability was discovered in backports to version 6.18.y, so any distribution shipping those or earlier kernels without the patch is impacted.

The exploit probability is very low (EPSS < 1%) and the issue is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog. Nonetheless, a local or privileged attacker can trigger the vulnerable path and force a kernel crash, resulting in temporary denial of service. The risk is moderate but mitigated by the low likelihood of exploitation and the availability of a kernel update that resolves the issue.