CVE-2026-72377

Local system crash via AFS folio release

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.14 AFS allows local users to crash the system through reclamation of cached symlink folios. afs_apply_status() sets AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS on symlink and mountpoint mappings backed by afs_dir_aops, although that operations table has no release_folio callback. With fscache enabled and an AFS symlink or mountpoint present, folio release falls through to try_to_free_buffers() without buffer_heads and dereferences a NULL pointer.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
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 Linux kernel 6.14 AFS allows local users to crash the system through reclamation of cached symlink folios. afs_apply_status() sets AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS on symlink and mountpoint mappings backed by afs_dir_aops, although that operations table has no release_folio callback. With fscache enabled and an AFS symlink or mountpoint present, folio release falls through to try_to_free_buffers() without buffer_heads and dereferences a NULL pointer.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72377
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
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=6.14
  2. Affected versionversion=eae9e78951bb02a7b94a9adef6e981413d13c564 <81e985b4c3a6cbcc443fcdcd3ebda7fcc845d459
  3. Affected versionversion=eae9e78951bb02a7b94a9adef6e981413d13c564 <9d6b0f6d437e2f8350e08678e5e1d20c11c364f3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.14; version=eae9e78951bb02a7b94a9adef6e981413d13c564 <81e985b4c3a6cbcc443fcdcd3ebda7fcc845d459; version=eae9e78951bb02a7b94a9adef6e981413d13c564 <9d6b0f6d437e2f8350e08678e5e1d20c11c364f3

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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