# CVE-2026-72476: dmaengine: Fix possible use after free

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel DMA engine allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **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-2026-72476, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72476, GHSA-3wch-675q-fgx7, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72476

## What is CVE-2026-72476?

CVE-2026-72476 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:

dmaengine: Fix possible use after free

In dma_release_channel(), check chan->device->privatecnt after call
dma_chan_put(). However, dma_chan_put() call dma_device_put() which could
release the last reference of the device if the DMA provider is already
gone and hence free it.

Fixes it by moving dma_chan_put() after the check.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72476?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-72476?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-72476 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72476 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72476 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-72476 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-2026-72476 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-2026-72476/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72476/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72476
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72476
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72476

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72476/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.