Cross-namespace interface modification via incomplete capability check
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Improper authorization in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to rewrite interfaces in another network namespace. The xfrmi_changelink() path validates CAP_NET_ADMIN only in dev_net(dev), not in the interface link namespace xi->net, before applying attributes. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the device namespace and permits unauthorized interface configuration changes across namespace boundaries.
Summary
What happened
Improper authorization in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to rewrite interfaces in another network namespace. The xfrmi_changelink() path validates CAP_NET_ADMIN only in dev_net(dev), not in the interface link namespace xi->net, before applying attributes. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the device namespace and permits unauthorized interface configuration changes across namespace boundaries.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72136
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-1220, CAPEC-1, CAPEC-180, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=4.19
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <04c1aa57d08471b1953bf27c84ac9b3d78d71831
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <095515d89b19b6cc19dfcdc846f97403ed1ebce3
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <37b61946d278c7deb0d40ba8f2b6fc0478d61dab
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <3ba2b2ef7d6a63b190f15cfc2b4ba0fba59928ea
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <80ec68bba11f7f387c0e4099c2d7b2c84943eb99
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <8ca2a19a987a7d1cb4c916ed9723a1c6993b4276
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <bdfd1c21d90e628a58a9de79e024cdfcbedfa15c
- Affected versionversion=f203b76d78092faf248db3f851840fbecf80b40e <e9c90756f10da334fb31552e52c61f1dba69f491
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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