CVE-2026-72057Network attack vector

Host crash via lost qdisc fragment metadata

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Reachable assertion in the Linux kernel allows remote attackers to crash hosts via fragmented traffic through a configured act_ct action. tcf_ct_handle_fragments() fails to preserve skb->cb while nf_ct_handle_fragments() clears an aliased control buffer, erasing qdisc metadata such as pkt_segs. The path is exposed only where act_ct processes the fragments, and a crash requires panic_on_warn; otherwise packet accounting or handling is corrupted.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.58%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Reachable assertion in the Linux kernel allows remote attackers to crash hosts via fragmented traffic through a configured act_ct action. tcf_ct_handle_fragments() fails to preserve skb->cb while nf_ct_handle_fragments() clears an aliased control buffer, erasing qdisc metadata such as pkt_segs. The path is exposed only where act_ct processes the fragments, and a crash requires panic_on_warn; otherwise packet accounting or handling is corrupted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72057
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-617, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0d76daf2013ce1da20eab5e26bd81d983e1c18fb
  2. Affected versionversion=5.15.13 <5.16
  3. Affected versionversion=5.16
  4. Affected versionversion=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <2400c4b05d58834b994500a9eec90a37db44187c
  5. Affected versionversion=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <5c3ae5f6c7c6de73ea9b6a75154fe4ed343e1bac
  6. Affected versionversion=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <9092e15defbe6c7bc241c306093ca9d358a578e7
  7. Affected versionversion=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <b3d835407846134b0d54637c0281b39bebef831d
  8. Affected versionversion=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <f7f45ceb855d9ba1cba594fb3f383255f7013fad

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0d76daf2013ce1da20eab5e26bd81d983e1c18fb; version=5.15.13 <5.16; version=5.16; version=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <2400c4b05d58834b994500a9eec90a37db44187c; version=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <5c3ae5f6c7c6de73ea9b6a75154fe4ed343e1bac; version=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <9092e15defbe6c7bc241c306093ca9d358a578e7; version=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <b3d835407846134b0d54637c0281b39bebef831d; version=ec624fe740b416fb68d536b37fb8eef46f90b5c2 <f7f45ceb855d9ba1cba594fb3f383255f7013fad

Published CVSS scores

8.2Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H
7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-617Reachable Assertion
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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