CVE-2026-72280

Host crash via bogus ZCR_EL2 assertion

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Denial of service in Linux KVM 6.11 allows guest OS users to crash the host via a nested-context ZCR_EL2 write. The KVM hypervisor's ZCR_EL2 trap path applies a bogus WARN_ON_ONCE check to a valid register-alias write after hypervisor vectors are installed, escalating the warning to hyp_panic. The path requires an arm64 VHE host with nested virtualization, FEAT_NV2, and SVE enabled, and the panic interrupts the host and its co-resident guests.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Linux KVM 6.11 allows guest OS users to crash the host via a nested-context ZCR_EL2 write. The KVM hypervisor's ZCR_EL2 trap path applies a bogus WARN_ON_ONCE check to a valid register-alias write after hypervisor vectors are installed, escalating the warning to hyp_panic. The path requires an arm64 VHE host with nested virtualization, FEAT_NV2, and SVE enabled, and the panic interrupts the host and its co-resident guests.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72280
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-617, 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=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <5000bcae71c869cba6674c326fec2d8ad659ae3a
  2. Affected versionversion=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <6561597dba97e3e8479a9919bda172cf43eb902c
  3. Affected versionversion=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <7deadbc5dab5b8e2316364603bc6281129c8461c
  4. Affected versionversion=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <9f1667098c6ae7ec81a9a56859cfdacb822aa0d0
  5. Affected versionversion=6.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <5000bcae71c869cba6674c326fec2d8ad659ae3a; version=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <6561597dba97e3e8479a9919bda172cf43eb902c; version=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <7deadbc5dab5b8e2316364603bc6281129c8461c; version=0cfc85b8f5cf3b77463d61542191c75ba0cc3a5f <9f1667098c6ae7ec81a9a56859cfdacb822aa0d0; version=6.11

Published CVSS scores

7.1kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
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

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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-617Reachable Assertion
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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