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major vulnerability· requires attention

Linux kernel bug in rpcrdma affects widely deployed OS kernels and RDMA-enabled systems, risking broad disruption and remote kernel compromise.

Systems

CVE-2026-72473

CRITICAL
Critical
EPSS 0.66%Patch availableAug 17, 2026

Kernel rpcrdma/xprtrdma refcount bug allows remote kernel memory corruption/RCE.

common questions

Is CVE-2026-72473 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2026-72473 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 0.66% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How severe is CVE-2026-72473?

CVE-2026-72473 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-2026-72473?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-72473. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-72473 affect?

CVE-2026-72473 affects Linux kernel (rpcrdma/xprtrdma), NFS/RPC over RDMA deployments, Systems with RDMA HCA drivers. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-72473?

Apply kernel security updates ASAP; restrict/block RDMA access until patched; monitor for anomalies.

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

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
Linux kernel (rpcrdma/xprtrdma)NFS/RPC over RDMA deploymentsSystems with RDMA HCA drivers
impact

Remote kernel memory corruption via crafted RDMA/RPC traffic, enabling crashes, privilege escalation, or remote code execution.

action required

Immediate action required

affected versions
Linux Linux
  • affected>= 0ab115237025f5e379620bbcd56a02697d07b002 and < 740975054a1970c0cf15f70ac39724a064f45847
  • affected>= 0ab115237025f5e379620bbcd56a02697d07b002 and < 9f3d9b68c1c6c51746e5ecdb52b2e6a2901de37e
  • affected>= 0ab115237025f5e379620bbcd56a02697d07b002 and < e7632089523acddcdd8f090ad19e96fb3107b04d
  • affected>= 0ab115237025f5e379620bbcd56a02697d07b002 and < 53442c7d0c888e51b8bc3da196970a669cc6b294
  • affected>= 0ab115237025f5e379620bbcd56a02697d07b002 and < 8203f760a72bd39a3b66bc4eff0aa272a99fe22b
  • affected>= 0ab115237025f5e379620bbcd56a02697d07b002 and < e786233d2e0bbff9a82e43f02ae3a46ab4b08ec3
  • affected5.3
vendor says fixed in< 5.3, >= 6.1.178 and <= 6.1.*, >= 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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