net/mlx5e: macsec: fix use-after-free of metadata_dst on RX SC delete
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 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. 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: net/mlx5e: macsec: fix use-after-free of metadata_dst on RX SC delete When an offloaded MACsec RX SC is deleted, macsec_del_rxsc_ctx() freed the per-SC metadata_dst with metadata_dst_free(), which kfree()s the object unconditionally and ignores the dst reference count. The RX datapath in mlx5e_macsec_offload_handle_rx_skb() looks up the SC under rcu_read_lock() via xa_load(), takes a reference with dst_hold() and attaches the dst to the skb with skb_dst_set(). A reader that already obtained the rx_sc pointer can race with the delete path and operate on freed memory. Fix the owner side by dropping the reference with dst_release() instead of freeing unconditionally, and convert the RX datapath to dst_hold_safe() so a reader racing the SC delete cannot attach a dst whose last reference was just dropped; only attach it when a reference was actually taken. mlx5e_macsec_add_rxsc() also published sc_xarray_element via xa_alloc() before rx_sc->md_dst was allocated and initialised, so a datapath reader that looked the SC up by fs_id could observe rx_sc with md_dst still NULL or, on weakly-ordered architectures, a non-NULL md_dst pointer whose contents were not yet visible. NULL-check the xa_load() result and md_dst on the datapath, and reorder add_rxsc() so the xa_alloc() publish happens only after md_dst is fully initialised; the xarray RCU publish then pairs with the rcu_read_lock()/xa_load() in the datapath. Note: macsec_del_rxsc_ctx() also kfree()s rx_sc->sc_xarray_element without an RCU grace period while the same datapath reads it under rcu_read_lock(); that is a separate pre-existing issue left to a follow-up patch. Found by 0sec automated security-research tooling (https://0sec.ai).
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2026:70459 Released 2026-09-23 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8 +12
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-core-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8 +28
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, libperf-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-core-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8 +21
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-687.50.1.el9_8 +9
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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:70459 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:70459 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:70459 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:70459 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:70459 |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-72072
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5679-rjmw-gc7q
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-20 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-10-26 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1a4d0c568bbb52c7c04f4fce3c097dae89ed6cb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/218cc15a4c907659ad4b0e68c535c61594311205
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4a5073b7b30243658f58b2d2d35a823da7fd34d9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed3cc4218070d6b98bf5fb456dccae424fd38c4f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/088873af13590ebde10de2ade847f57a05ec61c6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/de74d8fd10291763d97b218f09adcc7513c975e4
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Sources
- CVE-2026-72072 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-72072 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5679-rjmw-gc7q · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-72072 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences