Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-72493

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: serialize netif_running() check in enqueue_to_backlog() Syzbot reported a KASAN slab-use-after…

Published Aug 15, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 15, 2026 · the affected product

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-72493. EPSS is 0.39%. Act only if a listed version of the affected product is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No plain product name is stored. The page cannot tell you which product to check.
  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
Critical9.9
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.39%
Remediation
Not established
Affected products
See sources for product scope

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: serialize netif_running() check in enqueue_to_backlog() Syzbot reported a KASAN slab-use-after-free in fib_rules_lookup(). The root cause is a race condition where packets can escape the backlog flushing during device unregistration (e.g., during netns exit). Commit e9e4dd3267d0 ("net: do not process device backlog during unregistration") introduced a lockless netif_running() check in enqueue_to_backlog() to prevent queuing packets to an unregistering device. However, this creates a TOCTOU race window. A lockless transmitter (like veth_xmit) can pass the check before dev_close() clears IFF_UP. If the transmitter is then delayed, flush_all_backlogs() can run and finish before the transmitter grabs the backlog lock and queues the packet. The packet then escapes the flush and triggers UAF later when processed. Fix this by moving the netif_running() check inside the backlog lock. This serializes the check with the flush work (which also grabs the lock). We then either queue the packet before the flush runs (so it gets flushed), or check netif_running() after the flush/close completes (so it gets dropped).

No affected version ranges are stored yet. Use the vendor advisory before you decide this record does not apply.

How to fix CVE-2026-72493

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-72493. EPSS is 0.39%. Act only if a listed version of the affected product is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Affected version ranges are not on this record. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS 0.39%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Aug 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: serialize netif_running() check in enqueue_to_backlog() Syzbot reported a KASAN slab-use-after-free in fib_rules_lookup(). The root cause is a race condition where packets can escape the backlog flushing during device unregistration (e.g., during netns exit). Commit e9e4dd3267d0 ("net: do not process device backlog during unr

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: serialize netif_running() check in enqueue_to_backlog() Syzbot reported a KASAN slab-use-after-free in fib_rules_lookup(). The root cause is a race condition where packets can escape the backlog flushing during device unregistration (e.g., during netns exit). Commit e9e4dd3267d0 ("net: do not process device backlog during unr

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-72493

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-72493

    30-day exploitation probability 0.4%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-72493

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: serialize netif_running() check in enqueue_to_backlog() Syzbot reported a KASAN slab-use-after-free in fib_rules_lookup(). The root cause is a race condition where packets can escape the backlog flushing

    nvd.nist.gov

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.