Host crash via stale LiquidIO VF pointer
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 4.10 through 7.1.4 allows local users to crash the host through a Cavium LiquidIO VF reset request. The SR-IOV enable path caches pci_dev pointers without retaining references, then OCTEON_VF_FLR_REQUEST dereferences a pointer after its device can be freed. Exposure requires a LiquidIO adapter operating as an SR-IOV physical function with a virtual function able to submit the mailbox reset request.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 4.10 through 7.1.4 allows local users to crash the host through a Cavium LiquidIO VF reset request. The SR-IOV enable path caches pci_dev pointers without retaining references, then OCTEON_VF_FLR_REQUEST dereferences a pointer after its device can be freed. Exposure requires a LiquidIO adapter operating as an SR-IOV physical function with a virtual function able to submit the mailbox reset request.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72329
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-825, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=4.10
- Affected versionversion=ca6139ffc67ee6ef0459f81e37894ed411083855 <5c0e3ba4f500fd4314ceb42f07f16bc445156431
- Affected versionversion=ca6139ffc67ee6ef0459f81e37894ed411083855 <81acef3a247fd523513a2e9f71de1c167bc0f882
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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