CVE-2026-72071: Linux kernel · tracing/user_events: Fix use-after-free in user_event_mm_dup()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 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.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1 +12
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A patch is available and should be applied to affected Linux kernel versions. The fix defers freeing operations to a work queue after an RCU grace period to prevent use-after-free. Users should update to patched kernel versions as provided by their vendor. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official fix.
Description
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's tracing/user_events subsystem was fixed. The flaw occurs in user_event_mm_dup() during fork(), where concurrent access to enabler structures without proper synchronization leads to use-after-free conditions. This can be triggered by an unprivileged multithreaded process registering and unregistering an enabler while calling fork(). The fix defers freeing operations to a work queue after an RCU grace period to prevent premature memory release.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72071 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/05b24f68f78ff3a1ef7f015f7327b35886b741f6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/25acb6711da6fa0382744fa92bd6d42a22c1ae68 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/50fd6dd755c6e48a38af2fa4621167eea56829c2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/95400e7039cdfeb0b53652d521d766f1698cae95 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b33ac2d39953efb12f598c0dae242c5f644ea669 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72071 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72071 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/50fd6dd755c6e48a38af2fa4621167eea56829c2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8781-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8889-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-3 (opens in a new tab)