CVE-2026-97584

In the Linux kernel, the AFS subsystem contains a flaw where afs_lookup_server() performs an incorrect free of an endpoint state during candidate cleanup. This misuse of the free routine corrupts kernel memory, which can lead to instability, crashes, or unintended alteration of kernel data structures. The vulnerability is identified as CWE‑826, the incorrect deallocation of a pointer.

All Linux kernel installations that include the AFS subsystem are affected. Prior to the inclusion of commit 044d596094af4b769fb8e1173dff0d08bd68db6c, any kernel with AFS support is vulnerable. The fix removes the problematic free call, so updating to a kernel containing that commit resolves the issue.

The CVSS score of 7.8 indicates a high severity vulnerability. The EPSS score of less than 1% suggests a low probability of exploitation at this time, and the vulnerability is not included in the CISA KEV catalog. While the flaw corrupts kernel memory, there is no documented evidence of arbitrary code execution in the available advisories. Potential exploitation would likely require an attacker to interact with the AFS subsystem to trigger the free operation, but such an attack path has not been confirmed.