CVE-2026-72006

Kernel memory exhaustion via mlx5 allocation leak

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Memory leak in the mlx5 driver in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by repeatedly churning RDMA memory regions. When mlx5_st_dealloc_index() drops the final steering-table reference, it erases the idx_xa entry but fails to free its mlx5_st_idx_data allocation. Exploitation requires an mlx5 RDMA configuration with TPH steering-tag hints; each allocation-and-release cycle leaks memory and can eventually interrupt the system.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the mlx5 driver in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by repeatedly churning RDMA memory regions. When mlx5_st_dealloc_index() drops the final steering-table reference, it erases the idx_xa entry but fails to free its mlx5_st_idx_data allocation. Exploitation requires an mlx5 RDMA configuration with TPH steering-tag hints; each allocation-and-release cycle leaks memory and can eventually interrupt the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72006
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
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=6.17
  2. Affected versionversion=888a7776f4fb04c19bec70c737c61c2f383c6b1e <262da8b6ea03d01ee7ed01ad309e4c89941f6b14
  3. Affected versionversion=888a7776f4fb04c19bec70c737c61c2f383c6b1e <6eb4cf2fa8997f62c11e0006dc010a1fd89c5a75
  4. Affected versionversion=888a7776f4fb04c19bec70c737c61c2f383c6b1e <df6134b527a88b3e65ba6ae5073664af091d5fd2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.17; version=888a7776f4fb04c19bec70c737c61c2f383c6b1e <262da8b6ea03d01ee7ed01ad309e4c89941f6b14; version=888a7776f4fb04c19bec70c737c61c2f383c6b1e <6eb4cf2fa8997f62c11e0006dc010a1fd89c5a75; version=888a7776f4fb04c19bec70c737c61c2f383c6b1e <df6134b527a88b3e65ba6ae5073664af091d5fd2

Published CVSS scores

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

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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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