CVE-2026-72072

Local denial of service via MACsec deletion race

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.1 allows local users to crash the system via a race during offloaded MACsec RX channel deletion. macsec_del_rxsc_ctx() unconditionally frees metadata_dst without honoring its reference count while the RX path can retain and attach that object to a packet. Exploitation requires an mlx5e interface using MACsec hardware offload and low-privileged local access capable of racing security-channel deletion against receive processing.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.1 allows local users to crash the system via a race during offloaded MACsec RX channel deletion. macsec_del_rxsc_ctx() unconditionally frees metadata_dst without honoring its reference count while the RX path can retain and attach that object to a packet. Exploitation requires an mlx5e interface using MACsec hardware offload and low-privileged local access capable of racing security-channel deletion against receive processing.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72072
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-825, 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=6.1
  2. Affected versionversion=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <088873af13590ebde10de2ade847f57a05ec61c6
  3. Affected versionversion=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <218cc15a4c907659ad4b0e68c535c61594311205
  4. Affected versionversion=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <4a5073b7b30243658f58b2d2d35a823da7fd34d9
  5. Affected versionversion=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <b1a4d0c568bbb52c7c04f4fce3c097dae89ed6cb
  6. Affected versionversion=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <de74d8fd10291763d97b218f09adcc7513c975e4
  7. Affected versionversion=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <ed3cc4218070d6b98bf5fb456dccae424fd38c4f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.1; version=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <088873af13590ebde10de2ade847f57a05ec61c6; version=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <218cc15a4c907659ad4b0e68c535c61594311205; version=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <4a5073b7b30243658f58b2d2d35a823da7fd34d9; version=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <b1a4d0c568bbb52c7c04f4fce3c097dae89ed6cb; version=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <de74d8fd10291763d97b218f09adcc7513c975e4; version=b7c9400cbc48c3713190b3bce4e0c87e924e4104 <ed3cc4218070d6b98bf5fb456dccae424fd38c4f

Published CVSS scores

7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8cve.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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

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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-825Expired Pointer Dereference
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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