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CVE-2026-72066 (GCVE-0-2026-72066)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-15 05:52 – Updated: 2026-08-19 16:35
VLAI
Title
cpu: hotplug: Bound hotplug states sysfs output
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpu: hotplug: Bound hotplug states sysfs output states_show() adds CPU hotplug state names into a single sysfs buffer using sprintf(). With enough registered states, this can write past the end of the PAGE_SIZE buffer. Use sysfs_emit_at() so output is bounded.
Severity
7.8 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 27481cf4365a6ff5c9be3590143e7ed434000266 (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 2408be459c70ef4250da1a9e50f5478e6b250d61 (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < de4d3d8ae17dc8b4cf8c59436c4b7e2dc2491635 (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 998f66e9ce320f3433f60b948e3698b744754a46 (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 61a73a123ac7a7fbc57382531f8cb7092d569aba (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 6cb15b81ff545840048fb0e1a6e827d560dbf367 (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 631d53102da9f469c96b882b770336bec095b833 (git)
Affected: 98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e , < 86f436567f2516a0083b210bedc933544826a2c3 (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 4.6
Unaffected: 0 , < 4.6 (semver)
Unaffected: 5.10.265 , ≤ 5.10.* (semver)
Unaffected: 5.15.212 , ≤ 5.15.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.1.178 , ≤ 6.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.6.145 , ≤ 6.6.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.12.97 , ≤ 6.12.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.18.40 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.1.5 , ≤ 7.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
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          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ncpu: hotplug: Bound hotplug states sysfs output\n\nstates_show() adds CPU hotplug state names into a single sysfs buffer\nusing sprintf(). With enough registered states, this can write past the\nend of the PAGE_SIZE buffer.\n\nUse sysfs_emit_at() so output is bounded."
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              "value": "AV:L - The bug is in states_show() on the read path for /sys/devices/system/cpu/hotplug/states, reached only via a local sysfs/VFS read() syscall. No network packet handler, adjacent protocol, or physical attach path invokes this CPU hotplug sysfs callback.\nAC:L - Once enough CPU hotplug states are registered (plausible on cloud servers, KVM hosts, Android, and heavily configured distros with hundreds of cpuhp_setup_state() users), a single read deterministically executes unbounded sprintf() past the PAGE_SIZE buffer with no race or attacker-uncontrollable timing.\nPR:L - states is DEVICE_ATTR_RO (mode 0444), so any unprivileged local user can open and read /sys/devices/system/cpu/hotplug/states. states_show() performs no capability, namespace, or credential check before formatting output into the sysfs buffer.\nUI:N - Exploitation requires only the attacker reading the sysfs attribute; no victim mount, driver bind, module load, or other interactive action is needed beyond the attacker\u0027s own read once sufficient hotplug states exist at boot.\nS:U - The out-of-bounds write corrupts kernel heap memory within the same OS/kernel security authority. This is standard kernel memory corruption, not a KVM guest-to-host escape, IOMMU boundary bypass, or other cross-scope boundary violation.\nC:H - Unbounded sprintf() writes past the fixed PAGE_SIZE buffer allocated by sysfs_kf_seq_show(), corrupting adjacent kmalloc heap memory. Per kernel guidance, this class of memory-corruption OOB write can be leveraged for arbitrary kernel memory disclosure.\nI:H - The vulnerable loop advances buf and repeatedly sprintf()s without bounds, producing a kernel heap out-of-bounds write that can corrupt adjacent objects and enable control-flow hijacking or arbitrary kernel writes per OOB-write scoring guidance.\nA:H - Writing past the PAGE_SIZE sysfs show buffer corrupts adjacent kernel heap objects and can cause immediate kernel oops/panic during the read path or when corrupted adjacent allocations are later used, satisfying High availability impact."
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With enough registered states, this can write past the\\nend of the PAGE_SIZE buffer.\\n\\nUse sysfs_emit_at() so output is bounded.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"kernel/cpu.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"27481cf4365a6ff5c9be3590143e7ed434000266\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"2408be459c70ef4250da1a9e50f5478e6b250d61\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"de4d3d8ae17dc8b4cf8c59436c4b7e2dc2491635\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"998f66e9ce320f3433f60b948e3698b744754a46\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"61a73a123ac7a7fbc57382531f8cb7092d569aba\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"6cb15b81ff545840048fb0e1a6e827d560dbf367\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"631d53102da9f469c96b882b770336bec095b833\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"98f8cdce1db580b99fce823a48eea2cb2bdb261e\",\"lessThan\":\"86f436567f2516a0083b210bedc933544826a2c3\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"kernel/cpu.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"4.6\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"4.6\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"5.10.265\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"5.10.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"5.15.212\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"5.15.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.1.178\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.1.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.6.145\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.6.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.12.97\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.12.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.18.40\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.18.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.1.5\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"7.1.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.2\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"*\",\"versionType\":\"original_commit_for_fix\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.8,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"LOCAL\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"LOW\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.8,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2408be459c70ef4250da1a9e50f5478e6b250d61\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27481cf4365a6ff5c9be3590143e7ed434000266\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/61a73a123ac7a7fbc57382531f8cb7092d569aba\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/631d53102da9f469c96b882b770336bec095b833\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6cb15b81ff545840048fb0e1a6e827d560dbf367\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86f436567f2516a0083b210bedc933544826a2c3\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/998f66e9ce320f3433f60b948e3698b744754a46\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/de4d3d8ae17dc8b4cf8c59436c4b7e2dc2491635\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}",
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-17T19:48:49+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-72066",
      "id": "CVE-2026-72066",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-15T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_affected": "246",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "28",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: cpu: hotplug: Bound hotplug states sysfs output",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-72066.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.