Linux kernel flaw affecting IPv6 packet handling in ioam6_lwt; kernel vulnerabilities are pervasive and can disrupt many systems, requiring org-wide patching and attention.
CVE-2026-72429
Linux kernel IPv6 IOAM type confusion → kernel memory corruption (remote DoS/possible ESC)
Is CVE-2026-72429 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-72429 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 0.60% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-72429?
CVE-2026-72429 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. 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-2026-72429?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-72429. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-72429 affect?
CVE-2026-72429 affects Linux kernel (IPv6 IOAM / ioam6_lwt). Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-72429?
Apply vendor kernel updates immediately; block/filter IOAM IPv6 traffic if patch delayed.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Remote crafted IPv6 IOAM packets can trigger invalid kernel pointer access, causing kernel crash (DoS) and potential privilege escalation/arbitrary code execution.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 47ce7c854563fe8450e9cb8dcd62c6470e28076b and < ea24f911ead85ba3d570a31e37c52b6c949f6928
- affected>= 47ce7c854563fe8450e9cb8dcd62c6470e28076b and < 5a3b2ee1e96d0580a8ed8deda6dfa430604f9ab0
- affected>= 47ce7c854563fe8450e9cb8dcd62c6470e28076b and < 9ed19e11d2146076d117d51a940643990118449b
- affected6.16
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.