CVE-2026-72282
Received Received - Intake

KVM Memory Access Issue in Linux Kernel

Publication date: 2026-08-15

Last updated on: 2026-08-15

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Move kvm_io_bus_get_dev() locking responsibilities to callers kvm_io_bus_get_dev() returns a device that is only matched by the address, and nothing else. This can cause a lifetime issue if the matched device is not the expected type, as by the time the caller can introspect the object, it might be gone (the srcu lock having been dropped). Given that there is only a single user of this helper, the simplest option is to move the locking responsibility to the caller, which can keep the srcu lock held for as long as it wants. Note that this aligns with other kvm_io_bus*() helpers, which already require the srcu lock to be held by the callers.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-15
Last Modified
2026-08-15
Generated
2026-08-15
AI Q&A
2026-08-15
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-72282
EUVD
EUVD-2026-59181

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a function called kvm_io_bus_get_dev() which returns a device matched only by address without proper locking. This can lead to a lifetime issue where the device might be removed before the caller can verify its type, as the srcu lock is dropped too early. The fix moves locking responsibilities to the caller to keep the srcu lock held longer.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) subsystem and requires kernel-level detection. There are no direct network or system commands to detect it as it is a code-level issue. Monitoring kernel logs for KVM-related errors or crashes may indicate exploitation attempts.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to cause a use-after-free condition or unexpected behavior in the KVM subsystem, potentially leading to system crashes, privilege escalation, or denial of service. Systems running vulnerable Linux kernels with KVM enabled are at risk.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Linux kernel to the latest stable version that includes the fix for this vulnerability. Since the issue is resolved in the kernel, applying the official patch or upgrading to a patched kernel version is the recommended mitigation.

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