CVE-2026-72372

Local privilege escalation via AFS IDR race

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel AFS 6.12.97 through 6.12.100 and 6.15 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via concurrent dynroot operations. Unsynchronized idr_alloc_cyclic, idr_remove, and idr_get_next operations on net->cells_dyn_ino can race, leaving afs_dynroot_readdir_cells to dereference a freed afs_cell. An unprivileged local user needs access to an AFS dynroot mount; successful exploitation can disclose or corrupt kernel memory, elevate privileges, or crash the host.

CVSS severity7.8
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

Use-after-free in Linux kernel AFS 6.12.97 through 6.12.100 and 6.15 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via concurrent dynroot operations. Unsynchronized idr_alloc_cyclic, idr_remove, and idr_get_next operations on net->cells_dyn_ino can race, leaving afs_dynroot_readdir_cells to dereference a freed afs_cell. An unprivileged local user needs access to an AFS dynroot mount; successful exploitation can disclose or corrupt kernel memory, elevate privileges, or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72372
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499, T1068
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

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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=1d0b929fc070b4115403a0a6206a0c6a62dd61f5 <2ffb70a8a01988046bb207b7d0af9358a8337378
  2. Affected versionversion=1d0b929fc070b4115403a0a6206a0c6a62dd61f5 <55e841836c6f4646490f7b0347192b7a92d431ba
  3. Affected versionversion=1d0b929fc070b4115403a0a6206a0c6a62dd61f5 <e94f92fd56c553a8bf9421c3289e1b85c7c08857
  4. Affected versionversion=537b0105952578531f748c7fb3ce36ae9a514784 <4d8a2fe8847859f4fa4e9a2fa1221c9c1158e66b
  5. Affected versionversion=6.12.97 <6.12.101
  6. Affected versionversion=6.15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1d0b929fc070b4115403a0a6206a0c6a62dd61f5 <2ffb70a8a01988046bb207b7d0af9358a8337378; version=1d0b929fc070b4115403a0a6206a0c6a62dd61f5 <55e841836c6f4646490f7b0347192b7a92d431ba; version=1d0b929fc070b4115403a0a6206a0c6a62dd61f5 <e94f92fd56c553a8bf9421c3289e1b85c7c08857; version=537b0105952578531f748c7fb3ce36ae9a514784 <4d8a2fe8847859f4fa4e9a2fa1221c9c1158e66b; version=6.12.97 <6.12.101; version=6.15

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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

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Your stack

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