Use-after-free in Zephyr IPv4 IGMP send path (`igmp_send`)
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In Zephyr's IPv4 IGMP implementation, igmp_send() in subsys/net/ip/igmp.c read the network interface back out of the packet via net_pkt_iface(pkt) after the packet had been handed to net_send_data(). On the successful-send path the packet's last reference may already have been released by the L2 driver or by the network stack's TX handling (synchronously in the default NET_TC_TX_COUNT=0 immediate-transmit configuration), returning the net_pkt slab block to its free list. The subsequent net_pkt_iface(pkt) dereferences the freed packet, a use-after-free read; with CONFIG_NET_STATISTICS_PER_INTERFACE the resulting dangling interface pointer is further dereferenced for a statistics-counter write. The IGMP send path is reachable without authentication from inbound IPv4 IGMP membership queries addressed to 224.0.0.1 (net_ipv4_igmp_input -> send_igmp_report/send_igmp_v3_report -> igmp_send), as well as from local multicast join/leave/rejoin operations. Realistic impact is undefined behavior and potential denial of service (sporadic crash or stats corruption); a controllable write requires the asynchronous TX path plus a concurrent slab reuse. The flaw was introduced with IGMPv2 support and affects releases from v2.6.0 through v4.4.0. The fix caches the interface pointer before sending. Note the analogous IPv6 MLD path (mld_send in subsys/net/ip/ipv6_mld.c) retains the same unfixed pattern.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| zephyrproject | zephyr | 2.6.0 to before 4.3.1; 4.4.0 to before 4.4.1 | 4.3.1, 4.4.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- zephyr Vendorzephyrproject Affected 2.6.0 to before 4.3.1; 4.4.0 to before 4.4.1 Fixed in 4.3.1, 4.4.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:zephyrproject:zephyr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 to before 4.5.0 | Vulnerable | zephyrproject |
- cpe:2.3:o:zephyrproject:zephyr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 to before 4.5.0 Vulnerable ·zephyrproject
Remediation
- Fix · CNA zephyr (zephyrproject) Fixed in 4.3.1, 4.4.1
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
zephyrproject zephyr 4.3.1, 4.4.1
5 records Highest priority Priority LOW 5 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-09140 Use-after-free in Zephyr ICMPv6 RX path when updating statistics after sending an echo reply or errorPriority LOW 33
- TI-2026-09142 Use-after-free reading `net_pkt` `iface` after send in IPv6 Neighbor Discovery (`ipv6_nbr.c`)Priority LOW 31
- TI-2026-09139 Use-after-free of `net_pkt` in IPv6 MLD send path triggerable by a link-local MLD QueryPriority LOW 31
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-10636
- 2026-10-16 Fix available: [email protected], [email protected] · CNA
References
Exploit 1
Patch 1
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- TI-2026-09168 Stack buffer overflow in `net_ipaddr_parse()` IPv4 address-with-port parsing in `subsys/net/ip/utils.c` CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-09625 net: lib: http_server: Buffer Under-read CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
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Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences