CVE-2026-72220Network attack vector

Kernel memory corruption via stale release hook

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Double-free in the Linux kernel sunrpc component from 6.18 allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory through malformed RPC requests. svc_release_rqst follows a stale rq_procinfo pc_release callback when reused request state reaches an early error path before new procedure data is installed. The condition requires reused state followed by an unsupported-protocol, short-frame, or bad-auth path, exposing kernel memory to a second release or use after free.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.59%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Double-free in the Linux kernel sunrpc component from 6.18 allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory through malformed RPC requests. svc_release_rqst follows a stale rq_procinfo pc_release callback when reused request state reaches an early error path before new procedure data is installed. The condition requires reused state followed by an unsupported-protocol, short-frame, or bad-auth path, exposing kernel memory to a second release or use after free.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72220
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-1341, T1499.004
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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.18
  2. Affected versionversion=d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e <18d216788bef06332ff8901670ecf1ed8f6eb614
  3. Affected versionversion=d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e <31ba490c02d476a5e4f90b8845932ac9db8aa71b
  4. Affected versionversion=d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e <66014ab165cb01bfef5836939412a8ef98d5d5ff

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.18; version=d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e <18d216788bef06332ff8901670ecf1ed8f6eb614; version=d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e <31ba490c02d476a5e4f90b8845932ac9db8aa71b; version=d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e <66014ab165cb01bfef5836939412a8ef98d5d5ff

Published CVSS scores

9.8Canonical UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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-1341Multiple Releases of Same Resource or Handle
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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