CVE-2026-68122

What the bug is

When either the TCP RX or TX error path calls ovpn_peer_hold() followed by schedule_work(&peer->tcp.defer_del_work), and the work item is already pending from the other path, schedule_work() returns false and the work runs only once. Since ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work() calls ovpn_peer_put() exactly once, the extra reference taken by the losing path is never dropped, leaking the peer object. The race window: CPU0 (strparser/RX error): CPU1 (tcp_tx_work/TX error): ovpn_peer_hold() <- refcnt+1 ovpn_peer_hold() <- refcnt+2 schedule_work() <- queued schedule_work() <- NO-OP (work already pending) ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work runs: ovpn_peer_del() ovpn_peer_put() <- refcnt+1 <- peer never freed Fix by checking the return value of schedule_work() in both paths and calling ovpn_peer_put() to drop the extra reference if the work was already pending. ovpn_peer_hold() is kept unconditional in the TX path as it cannot fail at that point.

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

drivers/net/ovpn/tcp.c

What this is

OPENVPN DATA CHANNEL OFFLOADMAINTAINERS section matched on drivers/net/ovpn/ · openvpn-devel@lists.sourceforge.net · Supported

Kernel module

ovpn

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_OVPN /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

lsmod | grep -w ovpn

Prints a line if that module is loaded right now, and nothing if it is not. One that is not loaded can still be loaded later by anything that needs it.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this as a loadable module. Every release with an answer below compiles it as a module on every flavour, so whether the code is in the running kernel depends on whether that module is loaded. The build rule could not be established for 2 releases, so nothing is claimed about those.

• bookworm, trixie?
• forky, sidm

?

not established - no Makefile entry for the affected file

m

a loadable module on every flavour - check lsmod, can be blacklisted

Where a release above reads "not established", no build rule for the affected file was found in that release's kernel tree. That is a gap in this lookup, not a finding that the code is absent.

Build switch

CONFIG_OVPN

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-08-10 (2 months ago)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

0.17%, higher than 6.4% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

unimportantsource

Subsystem

drivers/net

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
6.16	6.18.42	b08526bf0bbf
6.16	7.1.6	f08f39c1f43f
6.16	7.2	63bbe18fc030