CVE-2026-72181 mips: sched: Fix CPUMASK_OFFSTACK memory corruption
A memory corruption flaw in the Linux kernel MIPS scheduler allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges when CPUMASK_OFFSTACK is enabled.
- 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-2026-72181?
CVE-2026-72181 is a high-severity memory corruption 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:
mips: sched: Fix CPUMASK_OFFSTACK memory corruption
This patch addresses a critical memory management flaw. When CONFIG_CPUMASK_OFFSTACK is enabled, cpumask_var_t is a pointer. Consequently, sizeof(new_mask) evaluates to the pointer size, causing copy_from_user() to clobber the mask pointer. Furthermore, the old logic performed copy_from_user() before allocating the mask.
Fix this by allocating new_mask first. To handle variable-sized user masks correctly, use cpumask_size() to truncate overly large user masks or pad undersized masks with zeros before copying the data directly into the allocated buffer.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72181?
How do I fix CVE-2026-72181?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-72181 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72181 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-72181, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72181, GHSA-792p-r5w2-5gfr, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72181.