CVE-2026-72111

bpf: Reset register bounds before narrowing retval range in check_mem_access()

HIGH
8.8
CVSS Score
Published: August 15, 2026 at 05:52 AM UTC
Updated: October 16, 2026 at 07:17 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
HIGH8.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Reset register bounds before narrowing retval range in check_mem_access() When the BPF verifier processes a context load of an LSM hook return value, it calls __mark_reg_s32_range() to narrow the register to the hook's valid range. However, __mark_reg_s32_range() intersects the new range with the register's existing bounds using max_t()/min_t() rather than replacing them. If the destination register carries stale bounds from a prior instruction (e.g. BPF_MOV64_IMM), the intersection can produce a range narrower than reality. The verifier then believes it knows the register's exact value, while at runtime the actual hook return value is loaded, creating a verifier/runtime mismatch that can be used to bypass BPF memory safety checks. The else branch already calls mark_reg_unknown() to reset register state before any narrowing. Apply the same reset in the is_retval path so stale bounds are cleared before __mark_reg_s32_range() intersects.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

1050727d83e70449991c29dd1cf29fe936a63da327ca3e20fe80be85a92b10064dfeb56cb2564b1c5d99e198be279045e6ecefe220f5c52f8ce9bfd56.10.136.11.26.12
Vendor states this is fixed in 0993dc5fc619c0b25ab1310cb11d65e78351c0fe (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5a55f9aecc08990940e70f0c7048a80850c5a16a (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5e0b273e0a62cc04ec338c7b502797c66c2ed42a (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in bde92f65042ec14389782dd223f706bf6b59ce5d (fixed)
Affected range stops below 6.11, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.103 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.40 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.1.5 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.2 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

8.8HIGHLinux
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusRECEIVED

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