# CVE-2026-72440: md/raid1: fix writes_pending and barrier reference leaks on write failures

CVE-2026-72440 is fixed in 16 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72440, released August 15, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-72440
- Priority: High
- CVSS: 7.1 (Moderate)
- EPSS: 0.0050
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72440

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  md/raid1: fix writes_pending and barrier reference leaks on write failures  raid1_make_request() acquires a writes_pending reference with md_write_start() before calling raid1_write_request(). Several failure paths in raid1_write_request() complete the bio and return without reaching the normal write completion path, causing the corresponding md_write_end() to be skipped.  Make raid1_write_request() return a status indicating whether the write request was successfully queued. This allows raid1_make_request() to call md_write_end() when raid1_write_request() fails.  Additionally, if wait_blocked_rdev() fails after wait_barrier() succeeds, the associated barrier reference is not released.  Call allow_barrier() before returning from that path to keep the barrier accounting balanced.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | dtb-aarch64 opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-64kb opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-64kb sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-64kb sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-azure opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-azure sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-azure sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-default opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-default sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-default sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-default-base opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1.160000.2.22 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-default-base sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1.150700.17.47.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-default-base sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1.160000.2.23 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-docs opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-docs sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-docs sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-kvmsmall opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-kvmsmall sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_21 sles 15.7 | 1-150700.1.3.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4640-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4640-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_22 sles 15.7 | 1-150700.15.3.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-obs-build opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-obs-build sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-obs-qa opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-obs-qa sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-rt opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-source opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-source sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-source sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-syms opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-syms sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-syms sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-zfcpdump opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21910-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-zfcpdump sles 15.7 | 6.4.0-150700.53.84.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:4706-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-4706-1.md) | Nov 7, 2026 |
| Linux | kernel-zfcpdump sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.38.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-23902-1.md) | Sep 22, 2026 |
| Linux | linux Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 6.12.115-2 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72440](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-72440.md) | Aug 15, 2026 |
| Linux | linux Debian 14 | 7.1.5-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72440](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-72440.md) | Aug 15, 2026 |

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Data as of 2026-11-09T13:31:49Z 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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