CVE-2026-72342

Host crash via mlx5e stats initialization race

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Race condition in Linux kernel net/mlx5e allows local users to crash the host through asynchronous HV VHCA stats control. mlx5_hv_vhca_agent_create publishes the stats agent and schedules invalidation before delayed_work and the agent pointer are initialized, enabling NULL dereferences or timer-list corruption. The path requires the mlx5e HV VHCA statistics feature and a timing window during agent registration; successful triggering interrupts the host service.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Race condition in Linux kernel net/mlx5e allows local users to crash the host through asynchronous HV VHCA stats control. mlx5_hv_vhca_agent_create publishes the stats agent and schedules invalidation before delayed_work and the agent pointer are initialized, enabling NULL dereferences or timer-list corruption. The path requires the mlx5e HV VHCA statistics feature and a timing window during agent registration; successful triggering interrupts the host service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72342
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-824
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

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=5.4
  2. Affected versionversion=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <24c77044cdfcf5b8b2e9f3b620d8b9aa392d9add
  3. Affected versionversion=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <60fddda7207d81fea71463abd403f0b10f74f2e1
  4. Affected versionversion=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <89b25b5f46f488ea3b29b3444864c76944c9075b
  5. Affected versionversion=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <b0fd6d3bb06182f19f3b59a53f57b5098b99048a
  6. Affected versionversion=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <e8fc3304cb67fb1d7d11ff9ef9abd5fb64e7e1d5
  7. Affected versionversion=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <f5677797b094c3ec5fb350eb8ea7710b88a3d018

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.4; version=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <24c77044cdfcf5b8b2e9f3b620d8b9aa392d9add; version=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <60fddda7207d81fea71463abd403f0b10f74f2e1; version=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <89b25b5f46f488ea3b29b3444864c76944c9075b; version=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <b0fd6d3bb06182f19f3b59a53f57b5098b99048a; version=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <e8fc3304cb67fb1d7d11ff9ef9abd5fb64e7e1d5; version=cef35af34d6dc3792333075115c7deb7062b6e18 <f5677797b094c3ec5fb350eb8ea7710b88a3d018

Published CVSS scores

8.4Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.4UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-824Access of Uninitialized Pointer

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo