# CVE-2026-72022: llc: fix SAP refcount leak in llc_ui_autobind()

> A refcount leak in the Linux kernel LLC subsystem allows local attackers to exhaust dynamic SAP values, causing denial of service for subsequent socket operations.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72022, GHSA-8wqh-fvw2-pqc7, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72022

## What is CVE-2026-72022?

CVE-2026-72022 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

llc: fix SAP refcount leak in llc_ui_autobind()

llc_ui_autobind() opens a SAP after choosing a dynamic LSAP.
llc_sap_open() returns a reference owned by the caller, and
llc_sap_add_socket() takes a second reference for the socket's
membership in the SAP hash tables.

llc_ui_bind() drops the caller's reference after adding the socket,
but llc_ui_autobind() keeps it. When the socket is closed,
llc_sap_remove_socket() releases only the socket reference, leaving
the SAP on llc_sap_list with sk_count == 0.

This is user-visible because repeated autobind and close cycles can consume
all dynamic SAP values and make later autobinds fail with -EUSERS.

Drop the caller's reference after a successful autobind, matching
llc_ui_bind()'s ownership model.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72022?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-72022?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-72022 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72022 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72022 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-72022 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72022 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72022/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72022/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72022
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72022
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72022

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72022/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.