Linux Kernel up to 6.6.144/6.12.96/6.18.39/7.1.4 sunrpc svc_tcp_handshake race condition

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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9.5$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.144/6.12.96/6.18.39/7.1.4. It has been rated as very critical. The impacted element is the function svc_tcp_handshake of the component sunrpc. The manipulation leads to race condition. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2026-72221. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.144/6.12.96/6.18.39/7.1.4 and classified as very critical. This issue affects the function svc_tcp_handshake of the component sunrpc. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a race condition vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-362. The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, and the code sequence requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence that is operating concurrently. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sunrpc: wait for in-flight TLS handshake callback when cancel loses race When wait_for_completion_interruptible_timeout() in svc_tcp_handshake() returns 0 (timeout) or -ERESTARTSYS (signal) and tls_handshake_cancel() then returns false, handshake_complete() has won the cancellation race: it has set HANDSHAKE_F_REQ_COMPLETED and is about to invoke svc_tcp_handshake_done(), but the callback's side effects on xpt_flags and on svsk->sk_handshake_done have not yet committed. The current code reads xpt_flags immediately to decide whether the session succeeded. Two races result. If the callback has executed set_bit(XPT_TLS_SESSION) but not yet clear_bit(XPT_HANDSHAKE), svc_tcp_handshake() sees a session, enqueues the transport, and returns. svc_xprt_received() then clears XPT_BUSY, a worker thread picks the transport up, the dispatcher in svc_handle_xprt() observes XPT_HANDSHAKE still set, and xpo_handshake is invoked a second time. That svc_tcp_handshake() calls init_completion(&svsk->sk_handshake_done) while the original callback concurrently calls complete_all() on it, corrupting the embedded swait_queue. If the callback has set HANDSHAKE_F_REQ_COMPLETED but not yet entered svc_tcp_handshake_done(), svc_tcp_handshake() reads XPT_TLS_SESSION as clear and tears the connection down even though the handshake is about to succeed. Wait for the callback to commit before inspecting xpt_flags. The completion is guaranteed to fire because handshake_complete() invokes svc_tcp_handshake_done() unconditionally once it has set HANDSHAKE_F_REQ_COMPLETED.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-72221 since 08/09/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is needed for a successful exploitation. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 08/15/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5 or 7.2-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 0d8ceb39884148dc7a2fdf71e1cac5961ed1d2b9/e0f4691d42a54d359d8b64509fd9ab938d4f2a33/65b23bec1fca6e9ebdc3e6041ebf8c6ab074141b/a4f878e8ecd729ccf2e50993444e217583adeace/d00e32f84ca1a77cb67a3fbf59f58dada95f5a21 is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.5

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 9.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Race condition
CWE: CWE-362
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

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

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.145/6.12.97/6.18.40/7.1.5/7.2-rc1
Patch: 0d8ceb39884148dc7a2fdf71e1cac5961ed1d2b9/e0f4691d42a54d359d8b64509fd9ab938d4f2a33/65b23bec1fca6e9ebdc3e6041ebf8c6ab074141b/a4f878e8ecd729ccf2e50993444e217583adeace/d00e32f84ca1a77cb67a3fbf59f58dada95f5a21

Timelineinfo

08/09/2026 CVE reserved
08/15/2026 +6 days Advisory disclosed
08/15/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
08/15/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-72221 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-72221
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-390551

Entryinfo

Created: 08/15/2026 12:44
Changes: 08/15/2026 12:44 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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