CVE-2026-72502

Kernel crash via IPv6 MSS sentinel collision

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to crash the kernel through crafted TCP IPv6 traffic on large-MTU links. ip6_default_advmss returns 65535 as an MSS, and skb_segment misinterprets that value as GSO_BY_FRAGS before dereferencing an absent frag_list. Exploitation requires locally generated traffic and a sufficiently large MTU; the documented consequence is a host-wide service interrupt.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.70%
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 the Linux kernel allows local users to crash the kernel through crafted TCP IPv6 traffic on large-MTU links. ip6_default_advmss returns 65535 as an MSS, and skb_segment misinterprets that value as GSO_BY_FRAGS before dereferencing an absent frag_list. Exploitation requires locally generated traffic and a sufficiently large MTU; the documented consequence is a host-wide service interrupt.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72502
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <21f69ac1879bb970588d5e7c12a96e6542f7c1a7
  2. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <2bf43d0e2e6a27d52a7d624e2d6b9116972e8a22
  3. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <560b33b434e922ef97f9ff23aa2e909ef7aacd5c
  4. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <572fff10819dfc359298d1f774839e76a4d96f93
  5. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <8e6214a530c03e341dc1b0a846c8f2b716b3551a
  6. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <a210791f33345aa87187f7d7a9f3b9b7f4a28e6d
  7. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <c0db3dc2ac323b6c4b76adede3b355a9daa6dea8
  8. Affected versionversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <d774cdbda6634a78d0f2baf201ee5a8c57f3bc0e
  9. Affected versionversion=4.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <21f69ac1879bb970588d5e7c12a96e6542f7c1a7; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <2bf43d0e2e6a27d52a7d624e2d6b9116972e8a22; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <560b33b434e922ef97f9ff23aa2e909ef7aacd5c; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <572fff10819dfc359298d1f774839e76a4d96f93; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <8e6214a530c03e341dc1b0a846c8f2b716b3551a; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <a210791f33345aa87187f7d7a9f3b9b7f4a28e6d; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <c0db3dc2ac323b6c4b76adede3b355a9daa6dea8; version=3953c46c3ac7eef31a9935427371c6f54a22f1ba <d774cdbda6634a78d0f2baf201ee5a8c57f3bc0e; version=4.8

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.5cve.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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
PrivilegesUnavailable
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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