Go to homepageCyberStrike

Menu

Star on GitHub · 3.2k
Sign inDownload

CVE-2026-72438

7.5 · HIGH

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: md/raid10: fix writes_pending and barrier reference leaks on discard failures raid10_make_request() acquires a writes_pending r…

Published Aug 15, 2026EPSS 0.46%

Overview

CVE-2026-72438 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 15, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5, rated HIGH. 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:

md/raid10: fix writes_pending and barrier reference leaks on discard failures

raid10_make_request() acquires a writes_pending reference with

md_write_start() before calling raid10_handle_discard(). Several failure

paths in raid10_handle_discard() complete the bio and return without

releasing the corresponding reference, causing md_write_end() to be

skipped.

Call md_write_end() before returning from these failure paths to keep

writes_pending accounting balanced.

Additionally, discard split allocation failures can occur after

wait_barrier() succeeds. Those paths return without calling

allow_barrier(), leaking the associated barrier reference.

Release the barrier before returning from those paths.

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.

References

Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/393d687131d8aa8c7e4de2cb494438e145d20fc2Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/d1324b41dabd26787559efaeb430643c627c1eb0

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-72438?

CVE-2026-72438 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 15, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-72438?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-72438?

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-2026-72438?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-72438 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.

Related HIGH CVEs from 2026

View all
Browse by year2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999