# 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.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 16 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-72110, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72110, GHSA-9wff-g7fh-998r, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72110

## 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.

## Is CVE-2026-72110 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72110 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72110 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72110 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-2026-72110/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72110/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72110
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72110
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72110

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72110/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.