CVE-2026-72451
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: Fix xfrm state cache insertion race The xfrm input state cache insertion code checks the validity of the state before acquiring the global xfrm_state_lock. Thus it's possible for someone else to kill the state after it passed the validity check, and then the insertion will add the dead state to the cache. Fix this by moving the validity check inside the lock. This entire function is called on the input path, where BH must be off (e.g., the caller of this function xfrm_input acquires its spinlocks without disabling BH). So there is no need to disable BH here or take the RCU read lock. Remove both and replace them with an assertion that trips if BH is accidentally enabled on some future calling path.
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.12.13,
6.13
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.12.97,
6.18.40,
7.1.5,
7.2-rc1
and their respective stable series.
References
4 totalFrequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-72451?
CVE-2026-72451 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.12.13 onward and has been patched in 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and others. CVE-2026-72451 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-72451?
Yes. CVE-2026-72451 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 6.12.13 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-72451 actively exploited?
No. CVE-2026-72451 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.