KARL, short for Kernel Address Randomized Link, is an OpenBSD mitigation that randomizes the kernel’s layout across reboots. By changing where kernel code resides, it makes it harder for an attacker to rely on fixed addresses when exploiting a vulnerability.
Address randomization raises the difficulty of many kernel exploits, but it does not repair the underlying bug or guarantee that exploitation is impossible. Attackers may combine vulnerabilities or use other techniques to work around it. In the context of kernel exploit chains, KARL is one layer of defense; keeping systems patched and limiting untrusted local access remain essential.