The patch corrects a flaw in the Linux kernel’s kexec purgatory code where the non‑kjump path incorrectly attempted to read a return address from above the stack. This misread causes an exception that can crash the system, representing a stack overread that leads to denial of service. After the fix, the offending push has been reinstated only when needed, preventing the purgatory code from crashing during a non‑kjump kexec.

All Linux kernels that include the purgatory code shipped by kexec-tools are affected, according to the CNA entry Linux:Linux. Without version specifics, any kernel that has not incorporated the cited commit is susceptible. The impact applies to any distribution using the standard Linux kernel and kexec-tools in its default configuration.

No CVSS score is provided, and the EPSS score is unavailable, so the objective likelihood of exploitation cannot be computed from the data. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog, indicating no known public exploits. The flaw requires a privileged user to initiate a kexec operation; thus the primary attack vector, inferred from the description, is local privileged execution. Once the patch is applied, the crash path is eliminated, and the risk is effectively mitigated.