CVE-2026-72177

Kernel crash via reversed error-path cleanup

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use of uninitialized memory in DAMON sysfs in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel during allocation failure. The access_pattern_add_dirs error path releases directory references beginning with the directory whose setup failed, dereferencing an uninitialized entry instead of unwinding only initialized entries in reverse order. Reachability requires access to the privileged DAMON sysfs control path and a rare allocation failure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash or memory leak.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use of uninitialized memory in DAMON sysfs in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel during allocation failure. The access_pattern_add_dirs error path releases directory references beginning with the directory whose setup failed, dereferencing an uninitialized entry instead of unwinding only initialized entries in reverse order. Reachability requires access to the privileged DAMON sysfs control path and a rare allocation failure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash or memory leak.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72177
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-457, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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=5.18
  2. Affected versionversion=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <0710cc97962ca3bcabaa15ce7fead300faf726cd
  3. Affected versionversion=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <a8c0592a80e954825f2ba29e7f32893f1df762f2
  4. Affected versionversion=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <d58fdbe37a829fd2e5803dd4e5a72992dd8c5368
  5. Affected versionversion=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <e03442b0c48bdb034f5b7cf9f3b76d8025576071
  6. Affected versionversion=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <ee59df7a886a35113f309e3eb791060c46f79bb1
  7. Affected versionversion=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <f18c561eb9c51f1ba3adb6117926a98a66599848

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.18; version=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <0710cc97962ca3bcabaa15ce7fead300faf726cd; version=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <a8c0592a80e954825f2ba29e7f32893f1df762f2; version=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <d58fdbe37a829fd2e5803dd4e5a72992dd8c5368; version=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <e03442b0c48bdb034f5b7cf9f3b76d8025576071; version=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <ee59df7a886a35113f309e3eb791060c46f79bb1; version=7e84b1f8212a038ebeee06de56db7181148fa0cd <f18c561eb9c51f1ba3adb6117926a98a66599848

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle 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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-457Use of Uninitialized Variable
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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