CVE-2026-72110 bpf,fork: wipe ->bpf_storage before bailouts that access it
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel allows attackers to cause system hangs or execute arbitrary code via specific fork operations involving BPF task storage.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-72110?
CVE-2026-72110 is a high-severity use after free 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:
bpf,fork: wipe ->bpf_storage before bailouts that access it
Currently, copy_process() can bail out to free_task() before p->bpf_storage has been initialized, with this call graph (shown here for the !CONFIG_MEMCG case):
copy_process dup_task_struct arch_dup_task_struct [copies the entire task_struct, including ->bpf_storage member] [RLIMIT_NPROC check fails] delayed_free_task free_task bpf_task_storage_free rcu_dereference(task->bpf_storage) bpf_local_storage_destroy
In this case, the nascent task's ->bpf_storage member that bpf_local_storage_destroy() operates on is a plain copy of the parent's ->bpf_storage pointer, not a real initialized pointer. This leads to badness (kernel hangs, UAF).
This is reachable as long as the process calling fork() has been inserted into a task storage map.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72110?
How do I fix CVE-2026-72110?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-72110 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72110 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-72110, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72110, GHSA-9wff-g7fh-998r, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72110.