PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief
CVE-2026-72396 Linux CVE debrief
The Linux kernel's hwmon adm1275 driver had a vulnerability where uninitialized stack memory could be read. This was due to the i2c_smbus_read_block_data function reading into an uninitialized stack array without a null terminator, allowing strncasecmp to read past valid bytes. The issue has been fixed by zeroing the stack array. System administrators and users of Linux systems with the hwmon adm1275 driver should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to apply the fix. The vulnerability was introduced in the Linux kernel and affects systems using the hwmon adm1275 driver. The fix prevents reading uninitialized stack memory, ensuring the security of affected systems.
- Vendor
- Linux
- Product
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Unknown
- CISA KEV
- Not listed in stored evidence
- Original CVE published
- 2026-08-15
- Original CVE updated
- 2026-08-15
- Advisory published
- 2026-08-15
- Advisory updated
- 2026-08-15
Who should care
System administrators and users of Linux systems with the hwmon adm1275 driver should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to apply the fix. The vulnerability affects Linux systems using the hwmon adm1275 driver, and system administrators should review and apply the patch to ensure the security of their systems. This includes reviewing system logs for any unusual activity related to the hwmon adm1275 driver and ensuring all systems using the affected driver are updated. Additionally, security teams should verify that the patch has been applied and monitor for any potential security incidents related to this vulnerability. Operators and platform administrators should also be aware of the vulnerability and take steps to mitigate its impact. Vulnerability management teams should prioritize patching affected systems and monitor for potential security incidents. Security teams should also review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified. Asset inventory and change management processes should be updated to reflect the patching of affected systems. Rollback and change window procedures should be reviewed to ensure that patches can be applied quickly and efficiently. Source tracking and monitoring should be implemented to detect potential security incidents related to this vulnerability. Monitoring and detection systems should be reviewed to ensure that they can detect potential security incidents related to this vulnerability. Logs and monitoring data should be reviewed regularly to detect any unusual activity related to the hwmon adm1275 driver. Asset inventory and change management processes should be updated to reflect the patching of affected systems. Compensating controls, such as additional monitoring or security measures, should be implemented for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified. The patch should be applied as soon as possible to prevent potential security incidents. The vulnerability is considered to be of moderate severity, and patching affected systems is recommended as soon as possible. The Linux kernel patch has been developed and tested to fix the vulnerability, and it is now
Technical summary
The Linux kernel's hwmon adm1275 driver had a vulnerability where uninitialized stack memory could be read. This was due to the i2c_smbus_read_block_data function reading into an uninitialized stack array without a null terminator, allowing strncasecmp to read past valid bytes. The issue has been fixed by zeroing the stack array. The vulnerability affects Linux systems using the hwmon adm1275 driver and has been resolved by applying the patch. System administrators should review and apply the patch to ensure the security of their systems.
Defensive priority
This vulnerability involves a fix to the Linux kernel's hwmon adm1275 driver to prevent reading uninitialized stack memory. System administrators should review and apply the patch to ensure the security of their systems.
Recommended defensive actions
- Review and apply the provided patch to the Linux kernel's hwmon adm1275 driver
- Ensure all systems using the affected driver are updated
- Monitor system logs for any unusual activity related to the hwmon adm1275 driver
- Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified.
- Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review.
- Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented.
- Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.
Evidence notes
The CVE details a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's hwmon adm1275 driver. The issue arises from the i2c_smbus_read_block_data function reading up to 32 bytes into an uninitialized stack array without appending a null terminator. This can lead to strncasecmp reading past the valid bytes returned, potentially exposing uninitialized stack memory. A fix has been applied to zero the stack array to prevent this issue.
Sources and references
Verified primary and authoritative sources
-
CVE-2026-72396 CVE Program record
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72396
CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.
-
CVE-2026-72396 NVD vulnerability detail
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72396
NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.
Supplemental references
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36554592e2f5cac16ff8bf73720d38a6d9ef4a20
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39a581bd64a0e91112ec8017a2dd4e70c1336e99
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/553f9517813912a5ab661af5504485d96824a61c
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/57d583f069fa9d3d0c0831e34b967d1f61edae94
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/82e4ab03a6ab9b87667410f5143bc484d7a62bdc
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/93b96e723bdcba6172a5814262be875abcc5d269
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
-
Source reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aa35cee30686e6be3c890bf741429c5025d55abe
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Methodology and review provenance
AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.