CVE-2026-72316

Kernel crash via unchecked allocation failure

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the dm-era target in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the kernel during metadata access. metadata_open() returns NULL when kzalloc_obj() fails, but era_ctr() tests only IS_ERR(), accepts NULL as valid, and stores it in era->md. Reaching the failure while creating a dm-era target requires privileged local device-mapper configuration and memory pressure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severity4.1
Medium
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

NULL pointer dereference in the dm-era target in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the kernel during metadata access. metadata_open() returns NULL when kzalloc_obj() fails, but era_ctr() tests only IS_ERR(), accepts NULL as valid, and stores it in era->md. Reaching the failure while creating a dm-era target requires privileged local device-mapper configuration and memory pressure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72316
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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=3.15
  2. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <01c49eae7c6256f2d8cc08210a2bac3ee070e43a
  3. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <14e03ecd3b1b5fc03c082b27a2f8889f8290c30e
  4. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <17eb2ab13edd0b06ce6f996c5fd450d7efabb2e8
  5. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <889374b8e4a60d13fe4a5a8ae3a311ca93d1a2c3
  6. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <9ae672606c17891d90b282e3490b817620549599
  7. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <a705e056c2f3dd067fb2ff414f0537530baa090b
  8. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <b69ea153d30ce19ca8997eeeca1e2219fae5a29b
  9. Affected versionversion=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <bd5a80128bdfc93b1cae935a70da000b8c483e6e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.15; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <01c49eae7c6256f2d8cc08210a2bac3ee070e43a; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <14e03ecd3b1b5fc03c082b27a2f8889f8290c30e; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <17eb2ab13edd0b06ce6f996c5fd450d7efabb2e8; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <889374b8e4a60d13fe4a5a8ae3a311ca93d1a2c3; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <9ae672606c17891d90b282e3490b817620549599; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <a705e056c2f3dd067fb2ff414f0537530baa090b; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <b69ea153d30ce19ca8997eeeca1e2219fae5a29b; version=eec40579d84873dfb7021eb24c50360f073237c5 <bd5a80128bdfc93b1cae935a70da000b8c483e6e

Published CVSS scores

4.1Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application 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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