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CVE-2026-72381

CRITICAL
Critical
EPSS 0.64%Patch availableAug 17, 2026

Kernel ksmbd use-after-free in SMB durable reconnects causing memory corruption and crashes.

common questions

Is CVE-2026-72381 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2026-72381 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 0.64% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How severe is CVE-2026-72381?

CVE-2026-72381 is rated Critical. 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-2026-72381?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-72381. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-72381 affect?

CVE-2026-72381 affects Linux kernel ksmbd module (SMB server), Linux file servers using ksmbd. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-72381?

Upgrade to a patched kernel or apply the ksmbd fix; restart SMB services and restrict SMB access until patched.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
Linux kernel ksmbd module (SMB server)Linux file servers using ksmbd
impact

Remote SMB client can trigger a kernel use-after-free leading to crashes, memory corruption and possible privilege escalation.

action required

Immediate action required

affected versions
Linux Linux
  • affected>= 712cdf917e77a6444ce3836874829d770db20ee6 and < fb978d72052704c6b06c6b0f129fcd60b77169f5
  • affected>= c7f0f0d01c88bdcb8b1694d7d321670013f7ed7d and < 93d4d46bf9d442a12ea87278049ec416962c627f
  • affected>= 00ce8d6789dae72d042a4522264964c72891ca37 and < 5a5ac2852cd326529d02f778bc1aa6184701f4d7
  • affected>= 49110a8ce654bbe56bef7c5e44cce31f4b102b8a and < ed98719be41389d416953b8ef9f07a07dfea6b2b
  • affected>= 49110a8ce654bbe56bef7c5e44cce31f4b102b8a and < 38637163501fd9e2f684b8cd275d0db5d79f37c6
  • affectedc908c853f304a4969b5aa10eba0b50350cc65b80
  • affected>= 6.6.142 and < 6.6.145
  • affected>= 6.12.92 and < 6.12.97
  • affected>= 6.18.25 and < 6.18.40
  • affected>= 7.0.2 and < 7.1
  • affected7.1
vendor says fixed in< 7.1, >= 6.6.145 and <= 6.6.*, >= 6.12.97 and <= 6.12.*, >= 6.18.40 and <= 6.18.*, >= 7.1.5 and <= 7.1.*, >= 7.2 and <= *

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.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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