The vulnerability originates in the Linux kernel’s futex subsystem, where resizing the private hash can create a reordering bug. During the resize the new hash pointer is assigned before the associated batch state is updated, allowing a reader to hold a dangling reference to freed memory if a grace period starts in the intervening window. This use‑after‑free can corrupt kernel memory and, if an attacker can trigger the race, could potentially be escalated to privilege‑escalation or denial‑of‑service attacks.

The flaw impacts every Linux kernel build that contains the unpatched futex hash‑resizing logic. Since the vulnerability existed before the patch commit, any system running a kernel older than the fix is considered vulnerable, including all major distribution kernels that have not applied the update.

The CVSS score of 4.7 denotes a medium severity, but the EPSS score of less than 1% implies a very low probability of exploitation in the wild. Although the bug is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog, the low exploitability combined with the high potential impact means that the risk is modest in absence of a public exploit, yet it remains a serious concern for systems that must resist kernel‑level compromise.