CVE-2026-72020
CRITICALDescription
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipvs: reset full ip_vs_seq structs in ip_vs_conn_new Commit 9a05475cebdd ("ipvs: avoid kmem_cache_zalloc in ip_vs_conn_new") changed ip_vs_conn_new() to allocate an ip_vs_conn object with kmem_cache_alloc(). The function then initializes many fields explicitly, but only resets in_seq.delta and out_seq.delta in the two struct ip_vs_seq members. That leaves init_seq and previous_delta uninitialized. This is normally harmless while the corresponding IP_VS_CONN_F_IN_SEQ or IP_VS_CONN_F_OUT_SEQ flag is clear. For connections learned from a sync message, however, ip_vs_proc_conn() preserves those flags from IP_VS_CONN_F_BACKUP_MASK and passes opt=NULL when the message omits IPVS_OPT_SEQ_DATA. In that case the new connection can be hashed with SEQ flags set but with the rest of in_seq/out_seq still containing stale slab data. When a packet for such a connection is later handled by an IPVS application helper, vs_fix_seq() and vs_fix_ack_seq() use previous_delta and init_seq to rewrite TCP sequence numbers. A malformed sync message can therefore make forwarded packets carry stale slab bytes in their TCP seq/ack numbers, and can also corrupt the forwarded TCP flow. Reset both struct ip_vs_seq members completely before publishing the connection. This matches the existing "reset struct ip_vs_seq" comment and keeps the sequence-adjustment gates inactive unless valid sequence data is installed later.
How to fix
This vulnerability affects an unusually large number of packages. The highest-confidence fixes are shown above; the full list is longer. Check the referenced advisories for complete coverage.
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Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Moderate risk: more likely to be exploited than 53% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-457 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2009-0901 | High | 8.8 | 37% | - | - |
| CVE-2021-40418 | Critical | 9.8 | 18% | - | - |
| CVE-2019-11038 | Medium | 5.3 | 4.3% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2021-31435 | High | 7.8 | 2.8% | - | - |
| CVE-2021-46570 | High | 7.8 | 2.1% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2021-46566 | High | 7.8 | 2.0% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2026-72020?
Published advisories record a fix for 219 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2026-72020 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2026-72020 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.71% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 53% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2026-72020?
CVE-2026-72020 has a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8, rated critical. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2026-72020 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for linux (Debian), linux (Ubuntu), linux-aws (Ubuntu), linux-aws-5.15 (Ubuntu), and 215 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-10-19.