net: pktgen: fix proc entry use-after-free
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- 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: net: pktgen: fix proc entry use-after-free pktgen_change_name() replaces pkt_dev->entry while holding t->if_lock. pktgen_remove_device() removes the same entry before _rem_dev_from_if_list() takes that lock. This allows the following interleaving: CPU 0 (NETDEV_CHANGENAME) CPU 1 (kpktgend) if_lock(t) proc_remove(pkt_dev->entry) proc_remove(pkt_dev->entry) pkt_dev->entry = proc_create_data(...) if_unlock(t) The kthread can pass the stale proc_dir_entry to proc_remove() after the rename path has freed it. A reproducer with a widened race window reports: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in proc_remove+0x78/0x80 Read of size 8 at addr ffff8881478fea70 by task kpktgend_0/67 Call Trace: proc_remove+0x78/0x80 pktgen_remove_device.isra.0+0x11c/0x4c0 pktgen_thread_worker+0x1214/0x6bc0 kthread+0x2c6/0x3b0 Allocated by task 95: __proc_create+0x204/0x790 proc_create_data+0x72/0xe0 pktgen_thread_write+0xd61/0x1510 Freed by task 28: kmem_cache_free+0xcb/0x3d0 proc_free_inode+0x5b/0x80 rcu_core+0x50a/0x1850 The buggy address belongs to the object at ffff8881478fea00 which belongs to the cache proc_dir_entry of size 192 Move proc_remove() into the if_lock-protected list removal helper. Keep it before list_del_rcu() to preserve the ordering required by add_device(). The rename path must then finish replacing the entry before removal, or it observes that the device is no longer on the list.
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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.22 and later | 5.10.266, 5.15.217, 6.1.184, 6.6.153, 6.12.105, 6.18.44, 7.1.8, 7.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.22 and later Fixed in 5.10.266, 5.15.217, 6.1.184, 6.6.153, 6.12.105, 6.18.44, 7.1.8, 7.2 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.266, 5.15.217, 6.1.184, 6.6.153, 6.12.105, 6.18.44, 7.1.8, 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-2026-74479
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-34c4-h856-x83p
- 2026-10-18 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-11-04 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-04 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/82ed3db9269cb61e3c15bad2f6e221efce90e1e0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1cc9797cf8f7aeb87e7ad01b748c6a960a819e4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7991c7cff8b8622cddb3d8dee07dbe74aa4cbec4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/577443530cb592d5782a1f79847411a9363a65c8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f85a58340b91f225de3299dfa782c6414098077c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ef801b838d85c0ea5852c50667f7344ce3b6cd0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b006a5404470bd3eb2aa0425fc447183032047ef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/817ff6efdb7f484ea547218e11e17d8e43daa3b4
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Sources
- CVE-2026-74479 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-74479 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-34c4-h856-x83p · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-74479 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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