# CVE-2026-72377: linux: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  afs: Remove setting of AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS for sym...

CVE-2026-72377 is fixed in linux on 1 platform by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72377 (version 7.1.5-1), released August 15, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-72377
- Priority: Routine
- CVSS: n/a
- EPSS: 0.0020
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Aug 15, 2026

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  afs: Remove setting of AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS for symlinks and mountpoints  Regular AFS files correctly use afs_file_aops which have release_folio set as netfs_release_folio, so AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS is valid for them when fscache is enabled (set via afs_vnode_set_cache()). Symlinks and mountpoints in AFS use afs_dir_aops, which does not provide a release_folio callback. However, afs_apply_status() unconditionally calls mapping_set_release_always() for these.  In such case when memory management code attempts to release folios, filemap_release_folio() checks folio_needs_release() which returns true due to AS_RELEASE_ALWAYS being set. Since there is no release_folio callback, it falls through to try_to_free_buffers(), which at present expects buffer_heads to be not null. For symlinks and mountpoints without buffer_heads, this causes pointer dereference.  [dh: Added more bits that were missed]

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | linux Debian 14 | 7.1.5-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72377](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-72377.md) | Aug 15, 2026 |

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Data as of 2026-11-09T07:25:28Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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