CVE-2026-72233
Use-after-free in Linux batman-adv mesh module enabling kernel memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-72233 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-72233 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.34% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-72233?
CVE-2026-72233 is rated High. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-72233?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-72233. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-72233 affect?
CVE-2026-72233 affects Linux kernel with batman-adv (B.A.T.M.A.N.-adv) enabled, Embedded routers and mesh devices running batman-adv. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-72233?
Apply kernel update or backport; disable batman-adv if not required.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Crafted network packets can trigger a use-after-free in batman-adv, causing kernel memory corruption leading to crashes or potential local/remote privilege escalation.
Patch when possible
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < 41819c5467b6eb8ab4567f0ac98702ce9b6abbb1
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < a9ab19fbca86b32e9a9ae9e1a63e70a7eab3400f
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < 4a6673c55752a7aa41e28f51660eb981504ca088
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < ab2bac47a02637df1128a151e81d3ec14767f4bb
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < dc16bbf53cede1baf564bf0c8a861114b64e18b3
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < e5e18886aadd3870e2d84e32a9678317fab1dd9e
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < f4fb97ecf677cd9c3aa4f3bfc6fbf5b0e4bdbbbf
- affected>= 9e794b6bf4a2c65d698d7433ddfabc54a5d53a88 and < cdf3b5af2bc4431e58629e8ad2086b1e9185c761
- affected4.12
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.