Local kernel compromise via stale color-blob pointers
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Memory corruption in affected Linux kernels allows local users to compromise the kernel through atomic display commits to drm/i915. The intel_crtc_put_color_blobs() function drops CRTC color-blob references without clearing their pointers, so a later error cleanup drops the same references again. Exploitation requires DRM-master access, color blobs, an active DisplayPort tunnel, and concurrent atomic requests; the double free exposes kernel memory corruption capable of a system crash or kernel-memory read, write, and code execution.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in affected Linux kernels allows local users to compromise the kernel through atomic display commits to drm/i915. The intel_crtc_put_color_blobs() function drops CRTC color-blob references without clearing their pointers, so a later error cleanup drops the same references again. Exploitation requires DRM-master access, color blobs, an active DisplayPort tunnel, and concurrent atomic requests; the double free exposes kernel memory corruption capable of a system crash or kernel-memory read, write, and code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72452
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-364, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
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=6.12.80 <6.12.97
- Affected versionversion=6.18.21 <6.18.40
- Affected versionversion=6.19.11 <6.20
- Affected versionversion=674fc4a50b667be65c947d81af63a9367deafb5c
- Affected versionversion=7.0
- Affected versionversion=77fcf58df15edcf3f5b5421f24814fb72796def9 <31f077088e0faae6be8377741f356dea1b94ba46
- Affected versionversion=77fcf58df15edcf3f5b5421f24814fb72796def9 <ac554ad943610031a25795d6ef71316f6164c136
- Affected versionversion=8581466b827fdf0300a3e2e93900ddefd8240053 <2024940522ef451098c940ab0b82d647de5e5d9b
- Affected versionversion=9a6cbb4a5c168e94a69a0cbec572b3738205232b <164afa1a3af8e8c91b4a6d5fd7b79a44ec70abf0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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