CVE-2026-72176: Linux Vulnerability

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/damon/sysfs-schemes: put stats for scheme_add_dirs() internal error damon_sysfs_scheme_add_dirs() setup the tried_regions directory after the stats directory setup is completed. When the tried_regions directory setup is failed, the setup function ensures the reference for the tried regions directory is released. Hence the error path should put references on setup succeeded directory objects, starting from the stats directory. However, the error path is putting the tried_regions directory instead of the stats directory. As a direct result, the stats directory object is leaked. Worse yet, if the tried_regions directory setup failed from the initial allocation, the scheme->tried_regions field remains uninitialized. The following kobject_put(&scheme->tried_regions->kobj) call in the error path will dereference the uninitialized memory. The setup failures should not be common. But once it happens, the consequence is quite bad. Fix this issue by correctly putting the stats directory instead of the tried_regions directory. The issue was discovered [1] by Sashiko.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.20%

10.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Source: CNA advisory (CVE.org). NVD analysis pending.

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux	>= 5181b75f438d2e5b7f27bf48c6ea88a87c2882b7, < 50a753171d255895e5dd41566986b48dcec06f31; >= 5181b75f438d2e5b7f27bf48c6ea88a87c2882b7, < f63d6e5ba72aeacdee4fddc902bd7616cd62b919; >= 5181b75f438d2e5b7f27bf48c6ea88a87c2882b7, < 40a04601a3f66cabd6629c258a07af645a658865; >= 5181b75f438d2e5b7f27bf48c6ea88a87c2882b7, < 6b6b5d7c2c957136b92c00b77b7175259f13082b; >= 5181b75f438d2e5b7f27bf48c6ea88a87c2882b7, < 05ea83ee88ca70f8932906d9f2617ff996f45b50
Linux	Linux	6.2

References

Timeline

Published: Aug 15, 2026
Last Modified: Aug 17, 2026
Status: Received

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-72176?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/damon/sysfs-schemes: put stats for scheme_add_dirs() internal error damon_sysfs_scheme_add_dirs() setup the tried_regions directory after the stats directory setup is completed. When the tried_regions directory setup is failed, the setup function ensures the reference for the tried regions directory is released. Hence the error path should put references on setup succeeded directory objects, starting from the stats directory. However, the error path is putting the tried_regions directory instead of the stats directory. As a direct result, the stats directory object is leaked. Worse yet, if the tried_regions directory setup failed from the initial allocation, the scheme->tried_regions field remains uninitialized. The following kobject_put(&scheme->tried_regions->kobj) call in the error path will dereference the uninitialized memory. The setup failures should not be common. But once it happens, the consequence is quite bad. Fix this issue by correctly putting the stats directory instead of the tried_regions directory. The issue was discovered [1] by Sashiko.

How severe is CVE-2026-72176?

Severity scoring for CVE-2026-72176 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.20% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-72176?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

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