CVE-2026-72004

Kernel memory leak via skipped rate-control cleanup

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Resource leak in mac80211 in Linux allows local users to consume kernel memory during failed Wi-Fi hardware registration. The ieee80211_register_hw() error path jumps to fail_rate when kmemdup() cannot copy a supported-band structure, bypassing rate_control_deinitialize() and retaining local->rate_ctrl. Reachability requires a compatible mac80211 device and driver plus an allocation failure; retained allocations reduce available kernel memory, and upstream reported no runtime test.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in mac80211 in Linux allows local users to consume kernel memory during failed Wi-Fi hardware registration. The ieee80211_register_hw() error path jumps to fail_rate when kmemdup() cannot copy a supported-band structure, bypassing rate_control_deinitialize() and retaining local->rate_ctrl. Reachability requires a compatible mac80211 device and driver plus an allocation failure; retained allocations reduce available kernel memory, and upstream reported no runtime test.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72004
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-772, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 15, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <08b71bd92317f99642b842cfc0d30200868162fc
  2. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <3d8b9b290421c3cd505fcd2f551f143f8142786a
  3. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <45e9ac538cdff7bce656d731114a64eda85af0d7
  4. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <95fc02722edde02946d0d475221f2b2054d3d8ba
  5. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <a02b52fe54f7b5107aefa1ce28c2f69749c57616
  6. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <a7584f261e64fe14e45bdf70f343e16c1ee3a037
  7. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <bdc0b8bfdc142439d6708b072e8159eb515ee7b0
  8. Affected versionversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <f01eec75fd372961550b928902f3a2c11fca1daf
  9. Affected versionversion=4.20

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <08b71bd92317f99642b842cfc0d30200868162fc; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <3d8b9b290421c3cd505fcd2f551f143f8142786a; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <45e9ac538cdff7bce656d731114a64eda85af0d7; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <95fc02722edde02946d0d475221f2b2054d3d8ba; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <a02b52fe54f7b5107aefa1ce28c2f69749c57616; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <a7584f261e64fe14e45bdf70f343e16c1ee3a037; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <bdc0b8bfdc142439d6708b072e8159eb515ee7b0; version=09b4a4faf9d037990ac4f8110dd944b27b42d5df <f01eec75fd372961550b928902f3a2c11fca1daf; version=4.20

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
1.9Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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