In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
tipc: fix UAF in cleanup_bearer() due to premature dst_cache_destroy()
TIPC UDP media bearer teardown calls dst_cache_destroy() on its
replicast caches before calling synchronize_net() to wait for
concurrent RCU readers (transmitters) to finish:
static void cleanup_bearer(struct work_struct *work)
{
...
list_for_each_entry_safe(rcast, tmp, &ub->rcast.list, list) {
dst_cache_destroy(&rcast->dst_cache);
list_del_rcu(&rcast->list);
kfree_rcu(rcast, rcu);
}
...
dst_cache_destroy(&ub->rcast.dst_cache);
udp_tunnel_sock_release(ub->sk);
synchronize_net();
...
}
This is highly buggy because dst_cache_destroy() immediately frees the
per-CPU cache memory (free_percpu()) and releases the cached dst
entries without any synchronization.
If a concurrent transmitter (e.g., tipc_udp_xmit()) is running on another
CPU under RCU protection, it can call dst_cache_get() concurrently,
leading to:
1. Use-After-Free on the per-CPU cache pointer itself (crash).
2. "rcuref - imbalanced put()" warning if it attempts to release a
dst that was concurrently released by dst_cache_destroy().
Furthermore, calling kfree(ub) immediately after synchronize_net() without
closing the socket first (or waiting after closing it) leaves a window
where a concurrent receiver (tipc_udp_recv()) could start after
synchronize_net(), access ub, and suffer a UAF when kfree(ub) runs.
To fix this, we must defer dst_cache_destroy() and kfree(ub) until after
we have ensured that no more readers can see the bearer/socket and all
existing readers have finished:
1. Defer rcast entry destruction (both dst_cache_destroy() and kfree())
to an RCU callback using call_rcu_hurry().
Using call_rcu_hurry() ensures the dst entries are released quickly.
2. Release the bearer socket using udp_tunnel_sock_release() (stops
new receive readers).
3. Call synchronize_net() to wait for all outstanding RCU readers
(both transmit and receive) to finish.
4. Now that it is safe, call dst_cache_destroy() on the main bearer
cache, and free ub.
Note: 3) and 4) can be changed later in net-next to also use
call_rcu_hurry() and get rid of the synchronize_net() latency.
tipc: fix UAF in cleanup_bearer() due to premature dst_cache_destroy()
TIPC UDP media bearer teardown calls dst_cache_destroy() on its
replicast caches before calling synchronize_net() to wait for
concurrent RCU readers (transmitters) to finish:
static void cleanup_bearer(struct work_struct *work)
{
...
list_for_each_entry_safe(rcast, tmp, &ub->rcast.list, list) {
dst_cache_destroy(&rcast->dst_cache);
list_del_rcu(&rcast->list);
kfree_rcu(rcast, rcu);
}
...
dst_cache_destroy(&ub->rcast.dst_cache);
udp_tunnel_sock_release(ub->sk);
synchronize_net();
...
}
This is highly buggy because dst_cache_destroy() immediately frees the
per-CPU cache memory (free_percpu()) and releases the cached dst
entries without any synchronization.
If a concurrent transmitter (e.g., tipc_udp_xmit()) is running on another
CPU under RCU protection, it can call dst_cache_get() concurrently,
leading to:
1. Use-After-Free on the per-CPU cache pointer itself (crash).
2. "rcuref - imbalanced put()" warning if it attempts to release a
dst that was concurrently released by dst_cache_destroy().
Furthermore, calling kfree(ub) immediately after synchronize_net() without
closing the socket first (or waiting after closing it) leaves a window
where a concurrent receiver (tipc_udp_recv()) could start after
synchronize_net(), access ub, and suffer a UAF when kfree(ub) runs.
To fix this, we must defer dst_cache_destroy() and kfree(ub) until after
we have ensured that no more readers can see the bearer/socket and all
existing readers have finished:
1. Defer rcast entry destruction (both dst_cache_destroy() and kfree())
to an RCU callback using call_rcu_hurry().
Using call_rcu_hurry() ensures the dst entries are released quickly.
2. Release the bearer socket using udp_tunnel_sock_release() (stops
new receive readers).
3. Call synchronize_net() to wait for all outstanding RCU readers
(both transmit and receive) to finish.
4. Now that it is safe, call dst_cache_destroy() on the main bearer
cache, and free ub.
Note: 3) and 4) can be changed later in net-next to also use
call_rcu_hurry() and get rid of the synchronize_net() latency.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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Advisories
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Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tipc: fix UAF in cleanup_bearer() due to premature dst_cache_destroy() TIPC UDP media bearer teardown calls dst_cache_destroy() on its replicast caches before calling synchronize_net() to wait for concurrent RCU readers (transmitters) to finish: static void cleanup_bearer(struct work_struct *work) { ... list_for_each_entry_safe(rcast, tmp, &ub->rcast.list, list) { dst_cache_destroy(&rcast->dst_cache); list_del_rcu(&rcast->list); kfree_rcu(rcast, rcu); } ... dst_cache_destroy(&ub->rcast.dst_cache); udp_tunnel_sock_release(ub->sk); synchronize_net(); ... } This is highly buggy because dst_cache_destroy() immediately frees the per-CPU cache memory (free_percpu()) and releases the cached dst entries without any synchronization. If a concurrent transmitter (e.g., tipc_udp_xmit()) is running on another CPU under RCU protection, it can call dst_cache_get() concurrently, leading to: 1. Use-After-Free on the per-CPU cache pointer itself (crash). 2. "rcuref - imbalanced put()" warning if it attempts to release a dst that was concurrently released by dst_cache_destroy(). Furthermore, calling kfree(ub) immediately after synchronize_net() without closing the socket first (or waiting after closing it) leaves a window where a concurrent receiver (tipc_udp_recv()) could start after synchronize_net(), access ub, and suffer a UAF when kfree(ub) runs. To fix this, we must defer dst_cache_destroy() and kfree(ub) until after we have ensured that no more readers can see the bearer/socket and all existing readers have finished: 1. Defer rcast entry destruction (both dst_cache_destroy() and kfree()) to an RCU callback using call_rcu_hurry(). Using call_rcu_hurry() ensures the dst entries are released quickly. 2. Release the bearer socket using udp_tunnel_sock_release() (stops new receive readers). 3. Call synchronize_net() to wait for all outstanding RCU readers (both transmit and receive) to finish. 4. Now that it is safe, call dst_cache_destroy() on the main bearer cache, and free ub. Note: 3) and 4) can be changed later in net-next to also use call_rcu_hurry() and get rid of the synchronize_net() latency. | |
| Title | tipc: fix UAF in cleanup_bearer() due to premature dst_cache_destroy() | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-08-15T05:56:28.124Z
Reserved: 2026-08-09T03:40:39.925Z
Link: CVE-2026-72404
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-08-15T06:22:13.970
Modified: 2026-08-15T06:22:13.970
Link: CVE-2026-72404
Redhat
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OpenCVE Enrichment
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Weaknesses
No weakness.