CVE-2026-63918: Linux kernel · l2tp: use refcount_inc_not_zero in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 15:47 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CNA (Linux) | CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 |
|---|
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 19 Jul 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to replace refcount_inc() with refcount_inc_not_zero() in the l2tp_session_get_by_ifname() function, restoring internal consistency and preventing the use-after-free condition. Users should apply the official Linux kernel updates that include this fix. No additional mitigations are indicated by the vendor advisory.
Description
A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's L2TP implementation due to improper reference counting in the l2tp_session_get_by_ifname() function. This function uses refcount_inc() instead of refcount_inc_not_zero(), allowing a pointer to a session with a zero refcount to be returned. This can lead to a use-after-free condition when the session memory is freed after an RCU grace period.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee80455feffb9cb62b5b58715cabeff495e666b2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/947013fd7c8c35dd5856557b215840098a3f67f8 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/782d60a6596aee9b29c2eecfa70033899278bf65 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/05f95729ca844704d15e49ce14868af4b403b32b (opens in a new tab)