CVE-2026-72220: Linux Vulnerability (CVSS 9.8)

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sunrpc: harden rq_procinfo lifecycle to prevent double-free The svc_release_rqst() function executes the callback inside rqstp->rq_procinfo->pc_release. However, if a worker thread begins processing a new request and encounters an early error path (e.g., unsupported protocol, short frame, or bad auth) before a valid rq_procinfo is installed, a stale release hook can be re-triggered against reused state from the previous RPC, resulting in a double-free or use-after-free vulnerability. Harden the lifecycle of rq_procinfo by: 1. Ensuring svc_release_rqst() always clears rq_procinfo after the optional pc_release() call, regardless of whether the hook exists. 2. Explicitly clearing rq_procinfo at request entry in svc_process() before any early decode or drop paths. 3. Ensuring svc_process_bc() does the same at backchannel entry. This guarantees that error flows will not encounter a non-NULL stale rq_procinfo pointer when there is nothing to release.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.20%

9.9th 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	>= d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e, < 66014ab165cb01bfef5836939412a8ef98d5d5ff; >= d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e, < 31ba490c02d476a5e4f90b8845932ac9db8aa71b; >= d9adbb6e10bf7d4223d3d521ede1b2052903bc5e, < 18d216788bef06332ff8901670ecf1ed8f6eb614
Linux	Linux	6.18

References

Timeline

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-72220?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sunrpc: harden rq_procinfo lifecycle to prevent double-free The svc_release_rqst() function executes the callback inside rqstp->rq_procinfo->pc_release. However, if a worker thread begins processing a new request and encounters an early error path (e.g., unsupported protocol, short frame, or bad auth) before a valid rq_procinfo is installed, a stale release hook can be re-triggered against reused state from the previous RPC, resulting in a double-free or use-after-free vulnerability. Harden the lifecycle of rq_procinfo by: 1. Ensuring svc_release_rqst() always clears rq_procinfo after the optional pc_release() call, regardless of whether the hook exists. 2. Explicitly clearing rq_procinfo at request entry in svc_process() before any early decode or drop paths. 3. Ensuring svc_process_bc() does the same at backchannel entry. This guarantees that error flows will not encounter a non-NULL stale rq_procinfo pointer when there is nothing to release.

How severe is CVE-2026-72220?

CVE-2026-72220 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.20% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-72220?

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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