CVE-2026-72273

Memory exhaustion via unfreed framebuffer option string

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

A memory leak in the Linux kernel efifb driver allows local users to exhaust memory during EFI framebuffer setup. The efifb_probe function retains the option string returned by fb_get_options even though ownership transferred to the caller, leaving the allocation unreleased after setup. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and the efifb path; repeated leakage depletes kernel memory and can interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the Linux kernel efifb driver allows local users to exhaust memory during EFI framebuffer setup. The efifb_probe function retains the option string returned by fb_get_options even though ownership transferred to the caller, leaving the allocation unreleased after setup. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and the efifb path; repeated leakage depletes kernel memory and can interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72273
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-772, T1499
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

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=6.4
  2. Affected versionversion=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <475383daf5f855f5b2c3a9aa801f69b69a81799e
  3. Affected versionversion=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <5276e3f75ddb51f980a8903f4b39e73cf42415e5
  4. Affected versionversion=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <9b6eaf101656958397a6012bf43f6e2e42c9e5cb
  5. Affected versionversion=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <fafb2e08741b20027cee77918816de29a32d6fd6
  6. Affected versionversion=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <febb5b4f67ace78d6b6862cc3c853b64710afb6c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.4; version=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <475383daf5f855f5b2c3a9aa801f69b69a81799e; version=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <5276e3f75ddb51f980a8903f4b39e73cf42415e5; version=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <9b6eaf101656958397a6012bf43f6e2e42c9e5cb; version=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <fafb2e08741b20027cee77918816de29a32d6fd6; version=73ce73c30ba9ae4d90fdfad7ebe9104001d5d851 <febb5b4f67ace78d6b6862cc3c853b64710afb6c

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.7SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5Red HatCVSS: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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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