# 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.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-72484, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72484, GHSA-79gv-9p52-g5cr, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72484

## 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.

## Is CVE-2026-72484 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72484 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72484 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72484 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-2026-72484/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72484/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72484
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72484
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72484

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72484/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.