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CVE-2026-72220

9.8 · CRITICAL

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-…

Published Aug 15, 2026EPSS 0.63%

Overview

CVE-2026-72220 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 15, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical 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 point

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-72220?

CVE-2026-72220 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 15, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-72220?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-72220?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-72220?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-72220 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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