Memory leak in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-72223
Published: August 16, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU143369
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-2026-72223
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 discover_arenas() in the nvdimm btt subsystem when handling arena discovery failures. A local user can trigger an arena discovery failure to cause a denial of service.
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-2026-72223
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/0b0d9404951aacc9717aa61e77af4a6e9e8f8249
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13fe4cd9ddd0aacb7777812328be525a11ea3fea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d0364937550a7b3e2592629c2a68753ac020b28
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30d490bb2c4cd220e7dedf862ab6a09eb5dcbad5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7563f69caa9143a491d5f26e563255c734751545
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/873ced7f345e99f7ee16f9ff226515580332ecc4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba59b96d8d21dc8729fca44a022ca5919c1848c9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eeb95774bc79268e2b78ebf01d8781560b5bd671