Kernel memory corruption via backlog TOCTOU race
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel network backlog allows remote authenticated users to corrupt kernel memory via concurrent packet traffic. A lockless transmitter can pass netif_running() before device shutdown, then enqueue a packet after flush_all_backlogs() completes because the check occurs outside the backlog lock. Exploitation requires low privileges and a device-unregistration race; the escaped packet is later processed through a freed object.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel network backlog allows remote authenticated users to corrupt kernel memory via concurrent packet traffic. A lockless transmitter can pass netif_running() before device shutdown, then enqueue a packet after flush_all_backlogs() completes because the check occurs outside the backlog lock. Exploitation requires low privileges and a device-unregistration race; the escaped packet is later processed through a freed object.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72493
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, CWE-416
- Attack vector
- network
- 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=2095ab2456da766174cda8bc105d7a7b1bc70e16
- Affected versionversion=3.12.48 <3.13
- Affected versionversion=3.14.54 <3.15
- Affected versionversion=3.18.22 <3.19
- Affected versionversion=3.2.71 <3.3
- Affected versionversion=3.4.111 <3.5
- Affected versionversion=4.1.9 <4.2
- Affected versionversion=4.2
- Affected versionversion=78b6803a1961369d0b8350ff1f99b7375bbd7a8f
- Affected versionversion=b5d73d9cdd6be22795499890ea928a6f57ef829c
- Affected versionversion=e9e4dd3267d0c5234c5c0f47440456b10875dec9 <2fface6e0bbd6314d1d9d071abf2c4d67548511c
- Affected versionversion=e9e4dd3267d0c5234c5c0f47440456b10875dec9 <46762cefe7f4e5bffc1eb467810a7bbb02e461d7
- Affected versionversion=f1fdb184aefa8447560e3ea0e605171592ffee41
- Affected versionversion=f6533fed1bfa842e391ee50f9a9c5e963c71e579
- Affected versionversion=f75c8a3015422128ca150e81c730bc2a471b5f4a
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
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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