CVE-2026-72057
CVE-2026-72057 is a security vulnerability in Kernel. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2026-72057 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
net/sched: act_ct: preserve tc_skb_cb across defragmentation
Real-World Exposure
KernelReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Linux packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net/sched: act_ct: preserve tc_skb_cb across defragmentation
tcf_ct_handle_fragments() calls nf_ct_handle_fragments() without saving and restoring skb->cb. The defrag helper clears IPCB/IP6CB, which aliases the tc_skb_cb/qdisc_skb_cb control buffer. Fragmented traffic through act_ct therefore loses qdisc metadata such as pkt_segs and can trigger WARN_ON_ONCE() in qdisc_pkt_segs() when panic_on_warn is enabled.
Save and restore the full tc_skb_cb around nf_ct_handle_fragments(), matching the pattern used by ovs_ct_handle_fragments().
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐧Linux | Kernel | ≥ 5.16.0&&< 6.6.145 | 6.6.145 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for Kernel. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update Kernel to 6.6.145 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-72057 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2026-72057 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2026-72057. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-72057 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2026-72057 across Linux dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.