CVE-2026-72128

Service interruption via leaked NVMe controller references

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Reference-count leakage in the Linux NVMe target subsystem allows local users to retain controller references through failed queue creation. The nvmet_sq_create() error path takes a controller reference with kref_get_unless_zero() and returns after nvmet_check_sqid() fails without calling nvmet_ctrl_put(). Reaching the flaw requires low-privileged local access and the affected NVMe target path; leaked references can exhaust availability and interrupt service.

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

Reference-count leakage in the Linux NVMe target subsystem allows local users to retain controller references through failed queue creation. The nvmet_sq_create() error path takes a controller reference with kref_get_unless_zero() and returns after nvmet_check_sqid() fails without calling nvmet_ctrl_put(). Reaching the flaw requires low-privileged local access and the affected NVMe target path; leaked references can exhaust availability and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72128
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=1eb380caf5275bba1d3d6182dde1fd740f331743 <26355295ce21cb046546085c3a81abe68160a784
  2. Affected versionversion=1eb380caf5275bba1d3d6182dde1fd740f331743 <34b9a83c50660148bde01cde16451dbe78369749
  3. Affected versionversion=1eb380caf5275bba1d3d6182dde1fd740f331743 <fcef60ed5f714a24104eb021d6397a67955ebeff
  4. Affected versionversion=6.14

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1eb380caf5275bba1d3d6182dde1fd740f331743 <26355295ce21cb046546085c3a81abe68160a784; version=1eb380caf5275bba1d3d6182dde1fd740f331743 <34b9a83c50660148bde01cde16451dbe78369749; version=1eb380caf5275bba1d3d6182dde1fd740f331743 <fcef60ed5f714a24104eb021d6397a67955ebeff; version=6.14

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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