CVE-2026-72482
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: gpib: fix double decrement of descriptor_busy in command_ioctl() commit d1857f8296dc ("gpib: fix use-after-free in IO ioctl handlers") introduced a descriptor_busy reference counter to pin struct gpib_descriptor across IO ioctl operations. In command_ioctl(), the error path inside the loop decrements descriptor_busy and breaks, but execution then falls through to the unconditional decrement after the loop, underflowing the counter to -1. This re-enables the use-after-free that the original fix was meant to prevent: a concurrent close_dev_ioctl() sees descriptor_busy == 0 on an actively-used descriptor and frees it. Remove the early decrement from the error path. The post-loop decrement already handles all exit paths, matching the correct pattern used in read_ioctl() and write_ioctl().
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.18.22,
6.19.12,
7.0
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.18.40,
7.1.5,
7.2-rc1
and their respective stable series.
References
3 totalFrequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-72482?
CVE-2026-72482 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.18.22 onward and has been patched in 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and 7.2-rc1. CVE-2026-72482 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-2026-72482?
Yes. CVE-2026-72482 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and 7.2-rc1. If you are running Linux kernel 6.18.22 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-72482 actively exploited?
No. CVE-2026-72482 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.