In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netpoll: fix a use-after-free on shutdown path

There is a use-after-free error on netpoll, which is clearly detected by
KASAN.

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x3b/0x80
Read of size 1 at addr ... by task kworker/9:1
Workqueue: events queue_process
Call Trace:
skb_dequeue+0x1e/0xb0
queue_process+0x2c/0x600
process_scheduled_works+0x4b6/0x850
worker_thread+0x414/0x5a0
Allocated by task 242:
__netpoll_setup+0x201/0x4a0
netpoll_setup+0x249/0x550
enabled_store+0x32f/0x380
Freed by task 0:
kfree+0x1b7/0x540
rcu_core+0x3f8/0x7a0

The problem happens when there is a pending TX worker running in
parallel with the cleanup path.

This is what happens on netpoll shutdown path:

1) __netpoll_cleanup() is called
2) set dev->npinfo to NULL
3) call_rcu() with rcu_cleanup_netpoll_info()
3.1) rcu_cleanup_netpoll_info() tries to cancel all workers with
cancel_delayed_work(), but doesn't wait for the worker to finish
4) and kfree(npinfo);

Because 3.1) doesn't really cancel the work, as the comment says "we
can't call cancel_delayed_work_sync here, as we are in softirq", the TX
worker can run after 4).

Tl;DR: queue_process() is not an RCU reader, it reaches npinfo through
the work item via container_of().

Use disable_delayed_work_sync() to ensure the worker is completely
stopped and prevent any future re-arming attempts. Once npinfo is set
to NULL, senders will bail out and not queue new work. The disable flag
ensures any in-flight re-arming attempts also fail silently.

In the future, we can do the cleanup inline here without needing the
npinfo->rcu rcu_head, but that is net-next material.

Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Linux Kernel Subscribe
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netpoll: fix a use-after-free on shutdown path There is a use-after-free error on netpoll, which is clearly detected by KASAN. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x3b/0x80 Read of size 1 at addr ... by task kworker/9:1 Workqueue: events queue_process Call Trace: skb_dequeue+0x1e/0xb0 queue_process+0x2c/0x600 process_scheduled_works+0x4b6/0x850 worker_thread+0x414/0x5a0 Allocated by task 242: __netpoll_setup+0x201/0x4a0 netpoll_setup+0x249/0x550 enabled_store+0x32f/0x380 Freed by task 0: kfree+0x1b7/0x540 rcu_core+0x3f8/0x7a0 The problem happens when there is a pending TX worker running in parallel with the cleanup path. This is what happens on netpoll shutdown path: 1) __netpoll_cleanup() is called 2) set dev->npinfo to NULL 3) call_rcu() with rcu_cleanup_netpoll_info() 3.1) rcu_cleanup_netpoll_info() tries to cancel all workers with cancel_delayed_work(), but doesn't wait for the worker to finish 4) and kfree(npinfo); Because 3.1) doesn't really cancel the work, as the comment says "we can't call cancel_delayed_work_sync here, as we are in softirq", the TX worker can run after 4). Tl;DR: queue_process() is not an RCU reader, it reaches npinfo through the work item via container_of(). Use disable_delayed_work_sync() to ensure the worker is completely stopped and prevent any future re-arming attempts. Once npinfo is set to NULL, senders will bail out and not queue new work. The disable flag ensures any in-flight re-arming attempts also fail silently. In the future, we can do the cleanup inline here without needing the npinfo->rcu rcu_head, but that is net-next material.
Title netpoll: fix a use-after-free on shutdown path
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-25T08:51:02.276Z

Reserved: 2026-07-19T15:36:31.787Z

Link: CVE-2026-64424

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-07-25T22:15:03Z

Weaknesses

No weakness.