CVE-2026-72368

Kernel lock corruption via cachefiles double unlock

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Locking error in Linux 6.19 allows local users to corrupt kernel synchronization state through the cachefiles subsystem. The nomem_d_alloc path in cachefiles_get_directory unlocks the parent inode after start_creating has already unlocked it on an ENOMEM return, corrupting rwsem state. Reachability requires cachefiles directory creation to encounter that allocation failure; no further operational consequence is published.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
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

Locking error in Linux 6.19 allows local users to corrupt kernel synchronization state through the cachefiles subsystem. The nomem_d_alloc path in cachefiles_get_directory unlocks the parent inode after start_creating has already unlocked it on an ENOMEM return, corrupting rwsem state. Reachability requires cachefiles directory creation to encounter that allocation failure; no further operational consequence is published.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72368
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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=6.19
  2. Affected versionversion=7ab96df840e60eb933abfe65fc5fe44e72f16dc0 <26757dac15175f2a42e3537f1ba86e62456d48f1
  3. Affected versionversion=7ab96df840e60eb933abfe65fc5fe44e72f16dc0 <8c256fba2b46020004201c500b2a1fbc707a33ef

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.19; version=7ab96df840e60eb933abfe65fc5fe44e72f16dc0 <26757dac15175f2a42e3537f1ba86e62456d48f1; version=7ab96df840e60eb933abfe65fc5fe44e72f16dc0 <8c256fba2b46020004201c500b2a1fbc707a33ef

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.1SUSECVSS: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.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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