Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-100072 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions a75e5de593ef158feb17989bff7730c5a3d82503, 527a497fb2ef77a95170eefe2007e2c4c957bd2c, c9d202d3b6c28e8c779cd2f2b10d2f7ab665ca71 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.16% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to a75e5de593ef158feb17989bff7730c5a3d82503 or 527a497fb2ef77a95170eefe2007e2c4c957bd2c or c9d202d3b6c28e8c779cd2f2b10d2f7ab665ca71 or a9ba4dd2f18bf3f439d9ef0d8f375f90360ba1bd, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 7.2.6 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 3b95bd160547f56a68aeb972c33ae9511e7a8380 up to, but not including, a75e5de593ef158feb17989bff7730c5a3d82503; 3b95bd160547f56a68aeb972c33ae9511e7a8380 up to, but not including, 527a497fb2ef77a95170eefe2007e2c4c957bd2c; 3b95bd160547f56a68aeb972c33ae9511e7a8380 up to, but not including, c9d202d3b6c28e8c779cd2f2b10d2f7ab665ca71; 3b95bd160547f56a68aeb972c33ae9511e7a8380 up to, but not including, a9ba4dd2f18bf3f439d9ef0d8f375f90360ba1bd; 4.6 | a75e5de593ef158feb17989bff7730c5a3d82503, 527a497fb2ef77a95170eefe2007e2c4c957bd2c, c9d202d3b6c28e8c779cd2f2b10d2f7ab665ca71, a9ba4dd2f18bf3f439d9ef0d8f375f90360ba1bd |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 4.6 up to, but not including, 7.2.6 | 7.2.6 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ACPI: platform: Use acpi_bus_get_primary_device() The acpi_get_first_physical_node() usage in acpi_platform_fill_resource() and acpi_create_platform_device() is generally unsafe because in theory the device returned by it may be freed at any time [1]. It is also inefficient because acpi_get_first_physical_node() is called multiple times for the same argument which can be avoided. Address these issues by using acpi_bus_get_primary_device() instead of acpi_get_first_physical_node() and adjusting the code to call it just once at the beginning of and acpi_create_platform_device() and drop the device reference acquired by it upon the return from that function.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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