CVE-2026-72288: Linux kernel · KVM: arm64: vgic: Handle race between interrupt affinity change and LPI disabling
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.3 Critical · fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1 : patch Linux kernel as a priority.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 00:58 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1, 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1 +13
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8781-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)
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.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: vgic: Handle race between interrupt affinity change and LPI disabling Hyunwoo Kim reports some really bad races should the following situation occur: - LPI-I is pending in vcpu-B's AP list - vcpu-A writes to vcpu-B's RD to disable its LPIs - vcpu-C moves I from B to C If the last two race nicely enough, vgic_prune_ap_list() can drop the irq and AP list locks, reacquire them, and in the interval the irq has been freed. UAF follows. The fix is two-fold: - Before dropping the irq and ap_list locks, take a reference on the irq - Do not try to handle migration of the pending bit: there is no expectation that this state is retained, as per the architecture With that, we're sure that the interrupt is still around, and we safely remove it from the AP list as it has no target at this stage (unless another interrupt fires, but that's another story).
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72288 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72288 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/7258770e5814f15e8308ebda82ac9acf6964ba8e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7258770e5814f15e8308ebda82ac9acf6964ba8e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1a89d12d35a8256d2b170ced0b1c86851f3def2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d19dca8194ebed371e624331c6be2cb73b562caf (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8781-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8816-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)