netpoll: fix a use-after-free on shutdown path
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netpoll: fix a use-after-free on shutdown path There is a use-after-free error on netpoll, which is clearly detected by KASAN. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x3b/0x80 Read of size 1 at addr ... by task kworker/9:1 Workqueue: events queue_process Call Trace: skb_dequeue+0x1e/0xb0 queue_process+0x2c/0x600 process_scheduled_works+0x4b6/0x850 worker_thread+0x414/0x5a0 Allocated by task 242: __netpoll_setup+0x201/0x4a0 netpoll_setup+0x249/0x550 enabled_store+0x32f/0x380 Freed by task 0: kfree+0x1b7/0x540 rcu_core+0x3f8/0x7a0 The problem happens when there is a pending TX worker running in parallel with the cleanup path. This is what happens on netpoll shutdown path: 1) __netpoll_cleanup() is called 2) set dev->npinfo to NULL 3) call_rcu() with rcu_cleanup_netpoll_info() 3.1) rcu_cleanup_netpoll_info() tries to cancel all workers with cancel_delayed_work(), but doesn't wait for the worker to finish 4) and kfree(npinfo); Because 3.1) doesn't really cancel the work, as the comment says "we can't call cancel_delayed_work_sync here, as we are in softirq", the TX worker can run after 4). Tl;DR: queue_process() is not an RCU reader, it reaches npinfo through the work item via container_of(). Use disable_delayed_work_sync() to ensure the worker is completely stopped and prevent any future re-arming attempts. Once npinfo is set to NULL, senders will bail out and not queue new work. The disable flag ensures any in-flight re-arming attempts also fail silently. In the future, we can do the cleanup inline here without needing the npinfo->rcu rcu_head, but that is net-next material.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 3.6 and later | 6.1.191, 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 3.6 and later Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6.1 to before 6.12.96; 6.13 to before 6.18.39; 6.19 to before 7.1.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.6 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6.1 to before 6.12.96; 6.13 to before 6.18.39; 6.19 to before 7.1.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.6:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.6 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-64424
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-4m75-5382-c595
- 2026-10-13 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-27 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@b67625b85c4b1a3725f4be9c6dd8ce3399d11732 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 4
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-64424 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-64424 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-4m75-5382-c595 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-64424 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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