Memory leak in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-72268
Published: August 16, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU143173
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 4.8 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-72268
CWE-ID: CWE-401
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to cause a denial of service.
The vulnerability exists due to a memory leak in tdfxfb_probe() in the tdfxfb driver when handling device initialization error paths. A local user can trigger the vulnerable code path to cause a denial of service.
The issue occurs when CONFIG_FB_3DFX_I2C is defined.
Affected software
Linux kernel
Ubuntu
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-oem-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
Ubuntu
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-oem-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
How to mitigate CVE-2026-72268
Install security update from vendor's repository.
Linux kernel - update to 7.0 rc3
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1112.113, 5.15.0.1112.112
linux-gcp-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4, 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-38.38, 7.0.0-38.38.1, 7.0.0-1008.9, 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1014.14, 7.0.0-1015.15
linux-oem-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - update to 7.0.0-1015.15
linux-azure-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1016.16, 7.0.0-1017.17
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1112.113, 5.15.0.1112.112
linux-gcp-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4, 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-38.38, 7.0.0-38.38.1, 7.0.0-1008.9, 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1014.14, 7.0.0-1015.15
linux-oem-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - update to 7.0.0-1015.15
linux-azure-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1016.16, 7.0.0-1017.17
External References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2199d70efc5bea0e9b4462a4f9e4c3d3c21c5d34
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/237611edf15172e4dc7fa9b3b71c2445602d3459
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fd16a94bea5e0c3e93791436cf8a800b175762a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b039e0693df003c5baa1e89630344f92a78afb15
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7b26adc2718ca8f81ca75cd03aee94269d00e8a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bb019d755366cc3e777a12d4bf457ff289837370
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dfbb1a695d8891774c80c0e2a9192afb66469eb7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e1ca9b8559e0f5959228626bdeaae530a1ee0337