Linux Kernel up to 7.2-rc3 sockmap bpf_sk_release memory leak

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4.7	$0-$5k	1.58

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.147/6.12.100/6.18.41/7.1.5/7.2-rc3. It has been classified as problematic. This affects the function bpf_sk_release of the component sockmap. This manipulation causes memory leak. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2026-68386. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.147/6.12.100/6.18.41/7.1.5/7.2-rc3. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is the function bpf_sk_release of the component sockmap. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf, sockmap: Reject unhashed UDP sockets on sockmap update UDP sockets get SOCK_RCU_FREE set when (auto-)bound. This means sk_is_refcounted(unbound) = true, while sk_is_refcounted(bound) = false. Because sockmap accepts unbound UDP sockets, a BPF program can increment a socket's refcount via lookup. If the socket is subsequently bound, the transition from unbound to bound causes bpf_sk_release() to skip the decrement of the refcount, causing a memory leak. unreferenced object 0xffff88810bc2eb40 (size 1984): comm "test_progs", pid 2451, jiffies 4295320596 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 7f 00 00 01 7f 00 00 01 d2 04 1b b7 04 d2 00 00 ................ 02 00 01 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ...@............ backtrace (crc bdee079d): kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x557/0x660 sk_prot_alloc+0x69/0x240 sk_alloc+0x30/0x460 inet_create+0x2ce/0xf80 __sock_create+0x25b/0x5c0 __sys_socket+0x119/0x1d0 __x64_sys_socket+0x72/0xd0 do_syscall_64+0xa1/0x5f0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e Instead of special-casing for refcounted sockets, reject unhashed UDP sockets during sockmap updates, as there is no benefit to supporting those. This effectively reverts the commit under Fixes, with two exceptions: 1. sock_map_sk_state_allowed() maintains a fall-through `return true`. 2. In the spirit of commit b8b8315e39ff ("bpf, sockmap: Remove unhash handler for BPF sockmap usage"), the proto::unhash BPF handler is not reintroduced. Historical note: this issue is related to commit 67312adc96b5 ("bpf: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign").

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-68386 since 07/30/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. Additional levels of successful authentication are necessary for exploitation. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1499 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

Upgrading to version 6.6.148, 6.12.101, 6.18.42, 7.1.6 or 7.2-rc4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 7ffe529e7127411806c8692fb1490f552c629dc2/17b7ef6b86112a4e61cee1e9009a4b318e3225c5/250474c69bc3fc48a5fc21d7c349f279caad947a/8692655da369961128658cf8539334b6a960ecb0/66efd3368ae10d05e08fbe6425b50fdec7186ac7 is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.0
• 6.1
• 6.2
• 6.3
• 6.4
• 6.5
• 6.6
• 6.6.147
• 6.7
• 6.8
• 6.9
• 6.10
• 6.11
• 6.12.100
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 7.1.0
• 7.1.1
• 7.1.2
• 7.1.3
• 7.1.4
• 7.1.5
• 7.2-rc1
• 7.2-rc2
• 7.2-rc3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.7

VulDB Base Score: 4.9
VulDB Temp Score: 4.7
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory leak
CWE: CWE-401 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.148/6.12.101/6.18.42/7.1.6/7.2-rc4
Patch: 7ffe529e7127411806c8692fb1490f552c629dc2/17b7ef6b86112a4e61cee1e9009a4b318e3225c5/250474c69bc3fc48a5fc21d7c349f279caad947a/8692655da369961128658cf8539334b6a960ecb0/66efd3368ae10d05e08fbe6425b50fdec7186ac7

Timelineinfo

07/30/2026 CVE reserved
08/10/2026 +11 days Advisory disclosed
08/10/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
08/10/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-68386 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-68386
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-387763

Entryinfo

Created: 08/10/2026 18:30
Changes: 08/10/2026 18:30 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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