CVE-2026-72019: Linux kernel · Out-of-bounds Read
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.3 High · fixed in f5089008f90c0a7c5520dff3934e0af00adf322d : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
- Automatable
- Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
- Technical impact
- Limited control over the software or limited information exposure
CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-10-16.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in f5089008f90c0a7c5520dff3934e0af00adf322d, f21fa533a3ed15ada74106aac4b9ddd078fc6b7a, e17a42199824973cd8212e95b21ffadf4114a21b +5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: macsec: don't read an unset MAC header in macsec_encrypt() macsec_encrypt() reads the Ethernet header via eth_hdr(skb) (skb->head + skb->mac_header) to memmove() the 12 source/destination MAC bytes forward and make room for the SecTAG. On the AF_PACKET SOCK_RAW + PACKET_QDISC_BYPASS transmit path the skb reaches the macsec ndo_start_xmit() with the MAC header unset, so eth_hdr(skb) resolves to skb->head + (u16)~0 and the read is out of bounds: a 12-byte heap over-read that is also emitted on the wire as the frame's outer source/destination MAC. KASAN reports a slab-out-of-bounds read in macsec_start_xmit() on 6.0; on current mainline a CONFIG_DEBUG_NET build flags it as an unset mac header in skb_mac_header(). On the TX path the L2 header is at skb->data, so use skb_eth_hdr(), added by commit 96cc4b69581d ("macvlan: do not assume mac_header is set in macvlan_broadcast()") for exactly this purpose.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6cec6187b8632423cd99a94fd5e5ba165fa2a33 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3adea1b1c04b57e08a5c12a1f42483760581ce61 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc9ffa1905e72f026d080880a2e4cfc42aa91000 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f21fa533a3ed15ada74106aac4b9ddd078fc6b7a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e17a42199824973cd8212e95b21ffadf4114a21b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cf10d042562283ff4ae97c02d0993d4f1b5ea29 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c39087ad0b97fc11a3b058dfc8db9fd370762cb9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f5089008f90c0a7c5520dff3934e0af00adf322d (opens in a new tab)