{"id":"CVE-2026-74720","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"bpf: Preserve pointer state for commuted arithmetic","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nbpf: Preserve pointer state for commuted arithmetic\n\nWhen scalar += pointer is handled in adjust_ptr_min_max_vals(), the\ndestination register inherits the pointer state from the source pointer.\nCopying only selected fields is fragile because pointer provenance is\ntracked by several bpf_reg_state fields.\n\nUse the caller's temporary offset register to preserve the scalar operand\nwhile replacing the destination with the full pointer state. This preserves\nthe frame number for PTR_TO_STACK registers and keeps parent identity\nfields consistent.","publishedAt":"2026-08-22T15:33:13.342Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-16T19:16:11.811Z","severity":{"score":7.8,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"Linux"},"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"86b203aadc2930e0a4f9c6277b5b80ff3664c472","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"8109c25e0c41f5f19a1c2380bb49c991a877494e","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"d1959028190a7649b926f5867a58de5fe221b23c","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"8cb23101a3fcc7432b451ea3d0f14a90711f4acf","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"29c239f8dbec5ab33a61796724d189bddee6cd4b","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"db6382ed3361bdd8129572a3423956cba1dae829","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"eaffa1495e4fe6330aeff9f323ea3d48b01f118a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"a4c6f804b44c5c790269b25e0e61cf4e9f117c86","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/bpf/verifier.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.16","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.16","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.265","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.216","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.183","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.152","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.104","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.45","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.9","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/bpf/verifier.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86b203aadc2930e0a4f9c6277b5b80ff3664c472","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8109c25e0c41f5f19a1c2380bb49c991a877494e","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1959028190a7649b926f5867a58de5fe221b23c","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8cb23101a3fcc7432b451ea3d0f14a90711f4acf","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/29c239f8dbec5ab33a61796724d189bddee6cd4b","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/db6382ed3361bdd8129572a3423956cba1dae829","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eaffa1495e4fe6330aeff9f323ea3d48b01f118a","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4c6f804b44c5c790269b25e0e61cf4e9f117c86"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:12:58.252Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/74xxx/CVE-2026-74720.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-74720","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-08-22T15:33:13.342Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-16T19:16:11.811Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2026-08-15T05:44:03.929Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"bpf: Preserve pointer state for commuted arithmetic","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nbpf: Preserve pointer state for commuted arithmetic\n\nWhen scalar += pointer is handled in adjust_ptr_min_max_vals(), the\ndestination register inherits the pointer state from the source pointer.\nCopying only selected fields is fragile because pointer provenance is\ntracked by several bpf_reg_state fields.\n\nUse the caller's temporary offset register to preserve the scalar operand\nwhile replacing the destination with the full pointer state. This preserves\nthe frame number for PTR_TO_STACK registers and keeps parent identity\nfields consistent."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"86b203aadc2930e0a4f9c6277b5b80ff3664c472","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"8109c25e0c41f5f19a1c2380bb49c991a877494e","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"d1959028190a7649b926f5867a58de5fe221b23c","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"8cb23101a3fcc7432b451ea3d0f14a90711f4acf","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"29c239f8dbec5ab33a61796724d189bddee6cd4b","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"db6382ed3361bdd8129572a3423956cba1dae829","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"eaffa1495e4fe6330aeff9f323ea3d48b01f118a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"f4d7e40a5b7157e1329c3c5b10f60d8289fc2941","status":"affected","lessThan":"a4c6f804b44c5c790269b25e0e61cf4e9f117c86","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/bpf/verifier.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.16","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.16","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.265","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.216","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.183","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.152","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.104","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.45","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.9","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/bpf/verifier.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86b203aadc2930e0a4f9c6277b5b80ff3664c472"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8109c25e0c41f5f19a1c2380bb49c991a877494e"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1959028190a7649b926f5867a58de5fe221b23c"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8cb23101a3fcc7432b451ea3d0f14a90711f4acf"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/29c239f8dbec5ab33a61796724d189bddee6cd4b"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/db6382ed3361bdd8129572a3423956cba1dae829"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eaffa1495e4fe6330aeff9f323ea3d48b01f118a"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4c6f804b44c5c790269b25e0e61cf4e9f117c86"}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","baseScore":7.8,"baseSeverity":"HIGH"},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"AV:L - The flaw is in bpf_check()/adjust_ptr_min_max_vals() during bpf(BPF_PROG_LOAD) via the local bpf(2) syscall; per kernel CNA guidance BPF verifier bugs are Local, not reachable from remote network packet handling.\nAC:L - An attacker fully controls BPF bytecode using commuted 64-bit scalar+=pointer ALU and bpf2bpf call chains, deterministically poisoning register state during verification without races or external preconditions.\nPR:L - Exploitation requires loading bpf2bpf programs (CAP_BPF-gated), which is routinely available to unprivileged users via user namespaces/BPF token delegation or unprivileged socket-filter loading when kernel.unprivileged_bpf_disabled=0, not init-namespace root.\nUI:N - The attacker loads and executes their own crafted BPF program through bpf(2); no separate victim action such as mounting filesystems or opening files is required beyond the attacker's own local access.\nS:U - Impact is a BPF verifier bypass enabling in-kernel out-of-bounds memory access and privilege escalation within the host kernel's security authority; it does not cross VM, IOMMU, or sandbox boundaries.\nC:H - Copying only type/id on scalar+=pointer leaves stale frameno, var_off, and map/parent metadata, so bpf_func() stack checks validate the wrong frame and approve out-of-bounds reads of adjacent kernel memory.\nI:H - The same incorrect pointer provenance permits verifier-approved out-of-bounds BPF stack/map writes at runtime, a controllable kernel memory corruption primitive leverageable for arbitrary modification and privilege escalation.\nA:H - Out-of-bounds BPF memory accesses from the bypassed verifier state can corrupt critical kernel data or dereference invalid addresses, reliably causing kernel oops/panic and repeatable denial of service."}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-08-25T05:42:01.009Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.265"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.216"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.183"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"6.6.152"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"6.12.104"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"6.18.45"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"7.1.9"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.16","versionEndExcluding":"7.2"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"id":"CVE-2026-74720","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"no"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-16T19:15:35.375502Z"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-10-16T19:16:11.811Z"}}]}}}