CVE-2026-23192Patch(linux / linux_kernel)

LOWCVSS 7.8 · HIGH

Signal is active with 1 mentions in latest observed window

Immediate actions

  • Patch linux linux_kernel systems immediately

Recommended action window: Monitor and triage in normal cycle

NVD description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: linkwatch: use __dev_put() in callers to prevent UAF After linkwatch_do_dev() calls __dev_put() to release the linkwatch reference, the device refcount may drop to 1. At this point, netdev_run_todo() can proceed (since linkwatch_sync_dev() sees an empty list and returns without blocking), wait for the refcount to become 1 via netdev_wait_allrefs_any(), and then free the device via kobject_put(). This creates a use-after-free when __linkwatch_run_queue() tries to call netdev_unlock_ops() on the already-freed device. Note that adding netdev_lock_ops()/netdev_unlock_ops() pair in netdev_run_todo() before kobject_put() would not work, because netdev_lock_ops() is conditional - it only locks when netdev_need_ops_lock() returns true. If the device doesn't require ops_lock, linkwatch won't hold any lock, and netdev_run_todo() acquiring the lock won't provide synchronization. Fix this by moving __dev_put() from linkwatch_do_dev() to its callers. The device reference logically pairs with de-listing the device, so it's reasonable for the caller that did the de-listing to release it. This allows placing __dev_put() after all device accesses are complete, preventing UAF. The bug can be reproduced by adding mdelay(2000) after linkwatch_do_dev() in __linkwatch_run_queue(), then running: ip tuntap add mode tun name tun_test ip link set tun_test up ip link set tun_test carrier off ip link set tun_test carrier on sleep 0.5 ip tuntap del mode tun name tun_test KASAN report: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in netdev_need_ops_lock include/net/netdev_lock.h:33 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in netdev_unlock_ops include/net/netdev_lock.h:47 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __linkwatch_run_queue+0x865/0x8a0 net/core/link_watch.c:245 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88804de5c008 by task kworker/u32:10/8123 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 8123 Comm: kworker/u32:10 Not tainted syzkaller #0 PREEMPT(full) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.3-debian-1.16.3-2 04/01/2014 Workqueue: events_unbound linkwatch_event Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x100/0x190 lib/dump_stack.c:120 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:378 [inline] print_report+0x156/0x4c9 mm/kasan/report.c:482 kasan_report+0xdf/0x1a0 mm/kasan/report.c:595 netdev_need_ops_lock include/net/netdev_lock.h:33 [inline] netdev_unlock_ops include/net/netdev_lock.h:47 [inline] __linkwatch_run_queue+0x865/0x8a0 net/core/link_watch.c:245 linkwatch_event+0x8f/0xc0 net/core/link_watch.c:304 process_one_work+0x9c2/0x1840 kernel/workqueue.c:3257 process_scheduled_works kernel/workqueue.c:3340 [inline] worker_thread+0x5da/0xe40 kernel/workqueue.c:3421 kthread+0x3b3/0x730 kernel/kthread.c:463 ret_from_fork+0x754/0xaf0 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:246 </TASK> ==================================================================

0.5/ 10 priority

Sources & remediation

Weakness type (CWE)
CWE-416

Priority

LOW

Exploitation

NONE

PoC

NONE

Patch

AVAILABLE

Momentum

NONE

Are you affected?

If you run products in this scope, you should treat this CVE as relevant to your environment.

  • linux_kernel

Threat summary

  • Patch or workaround signal is available
  • 1 mentions across 1 observed day

What's happening

  • Patch or workaround mentioned in 1 signal
  • Technical details provided in 1 signal
  • 1 total mentions across 1 day

Affected systems

Vendors
Products
linux_kernel

2 versions affected across 1 product

Deep dive

Activity timeline1 mentions / 1d
00111Mentions · 2026-02-14: 1Patch / Workaround · 2026-02-14: 1Technical Details · 2026-02-14: 102-14
Signal classification1 categories
Patch
1100.0%
Referenced assets1 URL
By indicator
Full discourse1 post
  • CVE@CVEnew
    Patch

    CVE-2026-23192 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: linkwatch: use __dev_put() in callers to prevent UAF After linkwatch_do_dev() calls __dev_put() … https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23192

    Post summary

    The post announces that CVE‑2026‑23192, a use‑after‑free flaw in the Linux kernel’s linkwatch component, has been fixed by inserting a call to __dev_put(), and links to the official CVE record.

    00010152
    56.4K followersView on X
CPE platform detail16 entries

16 of 16 entries

PartVendorProductVersionTarget SWTarget HW
OSlinuxlinux_kernel---
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.15--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--
OSlinuxlinux_kernel6.19--

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