CVE-2026-72463

System instability via xfrm device reference imbalance

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel xfrm subsystem allows attackers to destabilize systems during asynchronous IPsec packet processing. xfrm_rcv_cb replaces skb->dev with a tunnel device without acquiring its reference, so resumption decrements the wrong device and leaks the original reference. The exposed path requires a receive callback that changes skb->dev before transport_finish, producing tunnel-device use-after-free or reference-count corruption.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.38%
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 the Linux kernel xfrm subsystem allows attackers to destabilize systems during asynchronous IPsec packet processing. xfrm_rcv_cb replaces skb->dev with a tunnel device without acquiring its reference, so resumption decrements the wrong device and leaks the original reference. The exposed path requires a receive callback that changes skb->dev before transport_finish, producing tunnel-device use-after-free or reference-count corruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72463
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-825, T1499.004
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

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=0f451b43c88bf2b9c038b414be580efee42e031b
  2. Affected versionversion=1c428b03840094410c5fb6a5db30640486bbbfcb <63a30015199912bd5055bead8001b1ae68a67cdb
  3. Affected versionversion=1c428b03840094410c5fb6a5db30640486bbbfcb <8045c0df98d4f14c54e5cb875f1c9c0ce89fe4ff
  4. Affected versionversion=4236c30b437b80f673b9e08c8fae38b8d471ac9e
  5. Affected versionversion=5002beda5cac69d522dc54da0d5d463ed9c963d2
  6. Affected versionversion=6.12.94 <6.13
  7. Affected versionversion=6.18.23 <6.19
  8. Affected versionversion=6.19.13 <6.20
  9. Affected versionversion=7.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0f451b43c88bf2b9c038b414be580efee42e031b; version=1c428b03840094410c5fb6a5db30640486bbbfcb <63a30015199912bd5055bead8001b1ae68a67cdb; version=1c428b03840094410c5fb6a5db30640486bbbfcb <8045c0df98d4f14c54e5cb875f1c9c0ce89fe4ff; version=4236c30b437b80f673b9e08c8fae38b8d471ac9e; version=5002beda5cac69d522dc54da0d5d463ed9c963d2; version=6.12.94 <6.13; version=6.18.23 <6.19; version=6.19.13 <6.20; version=7.0

Published CVSS scores

7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8cve.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-825Expired 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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