CVE-2026-72277

Host instability via cacheable nonmemory VNCR mapping

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Type confusion in KVM for arm64 Linux 6.16 through 6.18.39 and 6.19 through 7.1.4 allows guest OS users to trigger a host SError. kvm_translate_vncr() assigns cacheable attributes to an L1 VNCR mapping without first confirming that the underlying PFN represents normal memory. Reachability requires arm64 nested virtualization and a nonmemory PFN whose endpoint cannot support cacheable writeback; the grounded consequence is host instability or service interruption.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Type confusion in KVM for arm64 Linux 6.16 through 6.18.39 and 6.19 through 7.1.4 allows guest OS users to trigger a host SError. kvm_translate_vncr() assigns cacheable attributes to an L1 VNCR mapping without first confirming that the underlying PFN represents normal memory. Reachability requires arm64 nested virtualization and a nonmemory PFN whose endpoint cannot support cacheable writeback; the grounded consequence is host instability or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72277
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-843, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
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=2a359e072596fcb2e9e85017a865e3618a2fe5b5 <4bd7dbe0b2243e6aa735cae4d5e1ff988b30b2a6
  2. Affected versionversion=2a359e072596fcb2e9e85017a865e3618a2fe5b5 <bc00e0e376ee3572f5d26c174473abef1e35decc
  3. Affected versionversion=2a359e072596fcb2e9e85017a865e3618a2fe5b5 <d5436e18e4fc2886ac306304d884ea3b92e1edbf
  4. Affected versionversion=6.16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2a359e072596fcb2e9e85017a865e3618a2fe5b5 <4bd7dbe0b2243e6aa735cae4d5e1ff988b30b2a6; version=2a359e072596fcb2e9e85017a865e3618a2fe5b5 <bc00e0e376ee3572f5d26c174473abef1e35decc; version=2a359e072596fcb2e9e85017a865e3618a2fe5b5 <d5436e18e4fc2886ac306304d884ea3b92e1edbf; version=6.16

Published CVSS scores

5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
9.3Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5SUSECVSS: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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-843Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion')
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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