CVE-2026-72219Network attack vector

Remote denial of service via nlm_file leak

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Memory leak in Linux kernel lockd allows remote attackers to exhaust kernel memory via file handles rejected by an NFS export. In nlm_lookup_file(), kzalloc_obj() allocates an nlm_file before insertion into nlm_files[], but the nlm_do_fopen() error path returns through out_unlock without freeing it. Repeated requests that reach lockd and cause the export to reject supplied handles consume one allocation per failure until service availability is impaired.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in Linux kernel lockd allows remote attackers to exhaust kernel memory via file handles rejected by an NFS export. In nlm_lookup_file(), kzalloc_obj() allocates an nlm_file before insertion into nlm_files[], but the nlm_do_fopen() error path returns through out_unlock without freeing it. Repeated requests that reach lockd and cause the export to reject supplied handles consume one allocation per failure until service availability is impaired.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72219
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, CWE-772, T1499.003
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=5.10.220 <5.10.261
  2. Affected versionversion=5.15
  3. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <1161c4b5bd0048c8148e919f818a33cff3623ef0
  4. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <1403f1221a35a6caf959bb7bf005741f17263c66
  5. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <39f59bf67231ed2eb0cdf6337194360e964b609a
  6. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <3f2dc01b9cb516d4727a3b9263ee58c71ca00ba9
  7. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <d7c677feb3aa1f42b1026d75a8ea61338b51e4fb
  8. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <ddfbd816273b4e9c9b836f5b8773664c6f40f807
  9. Affected versionversion=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <f16a1513452edb532fec81e591c64c320866719c
  10. Affected versionversion=e580323ac0b51ad10ec2e181d1f777479b7983e7 <bca74fff138429f3d5802865f38fc883d53a4f1a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10.220 <5.10.261; version=5.15; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <1161c4b5bd0048c8148e919f818a33cff3623ef0; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <1403f1221a35a6caf959bb7bf005741f17263c66; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <39f59bf67231ed2eb0cdf6337194360e964b609a; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <3f2dc01b9cb516d4727a3b9263ee58c71ca00ba9; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <d7c677feb3aa1f42b1026d75a8ea61338b51e4fb; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <ddfbd816273b4e9c9b836f5b8773664c6f40f807; version=7f024fcd5c97dc70bb9121c80407cf3cf9be7159 <f16a1513452edb532fec81e591c64c320866719c; version=e580323ac0b51ad10ec2e181d1f777479b7983e7 <bca74fff138429f3d5802865f38fc883d53a4f1a

Published CVSS scores

7.0Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499.003Application Exhaustion Flood

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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