Vulnerability Management ‘Bad Epoll’ vulnerability allows root access on Linux and Android July 6, 2026 Share By SC Staff As detailed in Security Affairs, a critical Linux kernel vulnerability dubbed Bad Epoll (CVE-2026-46242) has been disclosed, enabling local attackers to escalate privileges to root on affected Linux and Android systems. Security updates have been released and are recommended for immediate installation. The Bad Epoll flaw resides within the epoll subsystem of the Linux kernel, a fundamental component for managing network connections and file events. It is a use-after-free vulnerability where two kernel threads attempt to free the same memory object concurrently, leading to memory corruption. Exploiting this requires precise timing, with a window of only six CPU instructions. Despite this, a reliable proof-of-concept exploit has been developed, capable of achieving root access even from within Chrome's renderer sandbox and potentially impacting Android devices. Notably, this vulnerability was discovered manually by researcher Jaeyoung Chung after an AI model, Mythos, which had previously identified a related flaw in the same code section, missed Bad Epoll. This highlights the ongoing challenges in AI-assisted vulnerability research, particularly with subtle race conditions. While there is no evidence of widespread exploitation, the vulnerability affects Linux kernels version 6.4 and later, unless patched. Older long-term support kernels are not affected. This discovery adds to a series of recent high-profile Linux privilege escalation vulnerabilities. Source: Security Affairs SC Staff Related Vulnerability Management Opera GX browser vulnerability could allow data theft and DoS attacks SC Staff July 6, 2026 The vulnerability, found by security researcher zhero_web_security, allows for a zero-click cross-site leak (XS-Leak) by exploiting the automatic installation of GX Mods. Vulnerability Management The context gap: Building trusted agents in the age of AI-accelerated exploitation Paul Wagenseil July 2, 2026 AI agents embedded in the SDLC need context, governance, and auditability to operate safely. Vulnerability Management CISA adds SharePoint flaw to known exploited vulnerabilities list Steve Zurier July 2, 2026 SharePoint offers bad actors a roadmap into how an organization operates. Related Events Cybercast Why Mythos is the cybersecurity crisis we need Wed Jul 22 Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe Related Terms Bug Buffer Overflow Disassembly You can skip this ad in 5 seconds