CVE-2026-72179

Resource exhaustion via leaked cache node reference

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Resource leak in RISC-V cache discovery in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to exhaust memory and disrupt availability. populate_cache_leaves calls of_node_put on a null current node after natural loop termination, leaving the final valid node in prev referenced. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access on a RISC-V system that performs cache discovery; the bounded consequence is memory exhaustion and system instability.

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

Resource leak in RISC-V cache discovery in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to exhaust memory and disrupt availability. populate_cache_leaves calls of_node_put on a null current node after natural loop termination, leaving the final valid node in prev referenced. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access on a RISC-V system that performs cache discovery; the bounded consequence is memory exhaustion and system instability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72179
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-772, T1499.001
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=5.0
  2. Affected versionversion=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <2560c97f63bb99b26d9f19b23a4f66ea24c9dc14
  3. Affected versionversion=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <36e4843fe39ea2f17f4de6d59fba26271916c184
  4. Affected versionversion=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <51afb7da697b698996351740b4f39fb05ce2afd4
  5. Affected versionversion=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <880ac50b0bfae06d7ab5f1843253adfb86aa173a
  6. Affected versionversion=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <bf4a195f063b0a0805c1417f6aad1dd32ea48f0f
  7. Affected versionversion=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <f322955d9a1c344ed943752f05aacea7bc22e025

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.0; version=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <2560c97f63bb99b26d9f19b23a4f66ea24c9dc14; version=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <36e4843fe39ea2f17f4de6d59fba26271916c184; version=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <51afb7da697b698996351740b4f39fb05ce2afd4; version=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <880ac50b0bfae06d7ab5f1843253adfb86aa173a; version=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <bf4a195f063b0a0805c1417f6aad1dd32ea48f0f; version=94f9bf118f1e294b3f2092f8bde02860f5e3ea3f <f322955d9a1c344ed943752f05aacea7bc22e025

Published CVSS scores

5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
3.3Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
4.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499.001OS Exhaustion Flood

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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