CVE-2026-74677

What the bug is

ipheth_sndbulk_callback() re-arms the carrier-check work on any non-zero URB status: else schedule_delayed_work(&dev->carrier_work, 0); Nothing ties that to the interface being up, so the work can be armed again after ipheth_close() has already drained it, and stay armed until the netdev whose private area embeds it is freed. On unplug with a TX URB in flight, ipheth_disconnect() drains the work through unregister_netdev() -> ipheth_close() -> cancel_delayed_work_sync() and only then calls ipheth_kill_urbs(). usb_kill_urb() completes the in-flight TX URB with -ENOENT, so ipheth_sndbulk_callback() runs after the drain and re-arms carrier_work. The same completion also re-arms the work if the interface is only brought down while a TX URB is in flight, and ipheth_carrier_check_work() then keeps re-queueing itself once a second. unregister_netdev() does not call ipheth_close() for an already-down interface, so nothing drains it on the later unplug either. In both cases free_netdev() frees the netdev while carrier_work is still pending, and ipheth_carrier_check_work() dereferences freed memory. Tie the work to the interface state instead of chasing the completion: disable it in ipheth_close() and enable it in ipheth_open(), so a schedule_delayed_work() from the URB completion is a no-op whenever the interface is not up. disable_delayed_work_sync() also waits for a running instance, so it fully replaces the cancel_delayed_work_sync() it takes the place of. The work starts out disabled in ipheth_probe() so the enable/disable counts balance from the first open. Reproduced under KASAN on linux-next (next-20260731) with dummy_hcd and raw-gadget standing in for the device, driving the second path above (the interface is already down, so unregister_netdev() does not call ipheth_close()): 15 of 15 unpatched boots report a slab-use-after-free in __run_timers(), freed by ipheth_disconnect() and re-armed from ipheth_sndbulk_callback() via queue_delayed_work_on(). The same trigger on a kernel differing only by this patch reports 0 of 15, and the carrier check still functions across open/close cycles. The reproducer needs an attached USB device that stops draining bulk OUT, plus a link down and unplug, driven as root. It is not a privilege boundary crossing and no exploit primitive was developed. Found by 0sec (https://0sec.ai).

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/usb/ipheth.c

What this is

USB NETWORKING DRIVERSMAINTAINERS section matched on drivers/net/usb/ · linux-usb@vger.kernel.org · Odd Fixes

Kernel module

ipheth

Check it on the machine

grep -wE 'CONFIG_USB_IPHETH|CONFIG_USB_NET_DRIVERS' /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 ipheth

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, but not on every flavour. At least one release below builds the code on some of its kernel flavours and not on others, so the answer depends on the architecture and flavour installed.

• bookworm, trixie, forky, sid, bookworm · linux-6.12Mnot built on amd64/cloud-amd64, arm64/cloud-arm64

M

a module where it is built at all; some flavours do not build it

Build switches

CONFIG_USB_IPHETH, CONFIG_USB_NET_DRIVERS

Reads as

all on means the file is compiled; any one off means it is not.

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

2026-08-22 (2 months ago)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

0.17%, higher than 5.7% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

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
4.15	6.12.104	d07133fe1bef
4.15	6.18.45	2c7496124e94
4.15	7.1.9	48303f3ae0fa
4.15	7.2	fde39b8a5217
4.4.180	0	0
4.9.173	0	0
4.14.116	0	0

Debian advisories