CVE-2026-72377

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: afs: Remove setting of AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS for symlinks and mountpoints Regular AFS files correctly use afs_file_aops which have release_folio set as netfs_release_folio, so AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS is valid for them when fscache is enabled (set via afs_vnode_set_cache()). Symlinks and mountpoints in AFS use afs_dir_aops, which does not provide a release_folio callback. However, afs_apply_status() unconditionally calls mapping_set_release_always() for these. In such case when memory management code attempts to release folios, filemap_release_folio() checks folio_needs_release() which returns true due to AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS being set. Since there is no release_folio callback, it falls through to try_to_free_buffers(), which at present expects buffer_heads to be not null. For symlinks and mountpoints without buffer_heads, this causes pointer dereference. [dh: Added more bits that were missed]

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-08-15
Last modified 2026-08-15
Patch available
Yes

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 6.14 and later are affected. Fixed in 7.1.5, 7.2-rc2 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 6.14
Fixed in
✓ 7.1.5 7.1.x ✓ 7.2-rc2

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-72377?

    CVE-2026-72377 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.14 onward and has been patched in 7.1.5 and 7.2-rc2. CVE-2026-72377 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-72377?

    Yes. CVE-2026-72377 has been patched. Fixed versions include 7.1.5 and 7.2-rc2. If you are running Linux kernel 6.14 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-72377 actively exploited?

    No. CVE-2026-72377 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.