CVE-2026-72484 staging: most: video: avoid double free on video register failure
A double free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's MOST video driver allows local attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute arbitrary code.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-72484?
CVE-2026-72484 is an 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:
staging: most: video: avoid double free on video register failure
comp_register_videodev() allocates a video_device with video_device_alloc() and releases it if video_register_device() fails.
This can double free the video_device when __video_register_device() reaches device_register() and that call fails:
video_register_device() -> __video_register_device() -> device_register() fails -> put_device(&vdev->dev) -> v4l2_device_release() -> vdev->release(vdev) -> video_device_release(vdev)
comp_register_videodev() -> video_device_release(mdev->vdev)
Use video_device_release_empty() while registering the device so that registration failure paths do not free mdev->vdev through vdev->release(). comp_register_videodev() then releases mdev->vdev exactly once on failure. Restore video_device_release() after successful registration so the registered device keeps its normal lifetime handling.
This issue was found by a static analysis tool I am developing.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72484?
How do I fix CVE-2026-72484?
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-2026-72484 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72484 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-72484, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72484, GHSA-79gv-9p52-g5cr, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72484.