ipv6: mcast: Fix potential UAF in MLD delayed work
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: mcast: Fix potential UAF in MLD delayed work A race condition exists between device teardown and incoming MLD query processing, leading to a Use-After-Free in the MLD delayed work. During device destruction, the primary reference to inet6_dev is dropped, which can drop its refcount to 0. The actual freeing of inet6_dev memory is deferred via RCU. Concurrently, the packet receive path runs under RCU read lock and obtains the inet6_dev pointer. Because the memory is RCU-protected, CPU-0 can safely dereference inet6_dev even if its refcount has hit 0. However, if CPU-0 calls igmp6_event_query() and schedules delayed work, it attempts to acquire a reference using in6_dev_hold(). This increments the refcount from 0 to 1, triggering a "refcount_t: addition on 0" warning. Since the inet6_dev memory is still scheduled to be freed after the RCU grace period, the device is freed while the work is still scheduled. When the work runs, it accesses the freed memory, causing a kernel panic. Fix this by using refcount_inc_not_zero() (via a new helper in6_dev_hold_safe()) to prevent acquiring a reference if the device is already being destroyed. If the refcount is 0, we do not schedule the work.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
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 | 2.6.12 and later | 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.12 and later Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-72322
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p5wq-w75h-848c
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f12b63ef26a035c5a29b3ef56401e38199010d4a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0401d6cf7877c9be36652385dfcbf7f891b8b590
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f03b0a45535d49bdab7e502efaacee205b2a7865
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9815e834f5ff8b39e0ea9f0dbd532f4a3b8f0785
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ebbebf6cee950d7f1c81990256c0eae9e62572ae
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ce741c22df4fd9546e30306317ac7df3607e48f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0458ba1cda830ba4ccfcd9e19c0891438bcdbe4e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b26518b6896a16b809b1e42986f4ebac7bccc1e
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Sources
- CVE-2026-72322 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-72322 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p5wq-w75h-848c · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-72322 · 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