CVE-2026-72123: Linux kernel · can: bcm: defer rx_op deallocation to workqueue to fix thrtimer UAF
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 00:58 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1123.132~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1122.131~20.04.1 +56
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 15 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8876-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8878-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8879-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8877-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8889-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8886-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-2 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: can: bcm: defer rx_op deallocation to workqueue to fix thrtimer UAF Commit f1b4e32aca08 ("can: bcm: use call_rcu() instead of costly synchronize_rcu()") replaced synchronize_rcu() in bcm_delete_rx_op() with call_rcu() and introduced the RX_NO_AUTOTIMER flag. However, this flag check was omitted for thrtimer in the packet rx fast-path. During BCM RX operation teardown, a concurrent RCU reader (bcm_rx_handler) can race and re-arm thrtimer via bcm_rx_update_and_send() after call_rcu() has been scheduled. Once the RCU grace period elapses, bcm_op is freed. The subsequently firing thrtimer then dereferences the deallocated op, causing a UAF. Adding flag checks to the rx fast-path (bcm_rx_update_and_send) does not fully close the TOCTOU race and introduces latency for every CAN frame. Conversely, calling hrtimer_cancel() directly inside the RCU callback (softirq context) is fatal as hrtimer_cancel() can sleep, triggering a "scheduling while atomic" panic. Resolve this by deferring the timer cancellation and memory free to a dedicated unbound workqueue (bcm_wq). The RCU callback now queues a work item to bcm_wq, which safely cancels both timers and deallocates memory in sleepable process context. A dedicated workqueue is used to prevent system-wide WQ saturation and is cleanly flushed/destroyed on module unload to avoid rmmod page faults. Since the deferred work can now outlive the calling context by an unbounded amount, also take a reference on op->sk when it is assigned and drop it only once the deferred work has cancelled both timers, so a socket can no longer be freed out from under a still-armed timer whose callback (bcm_send_to_user()) dereferences op->sk.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72123 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72123 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/68973f9db76144825e4f35dfdc80fb8279eb2d57 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3cf4fd5316f449811d8baf1bc6978ef5a7b743a9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4177762f70646ac48a2af382e45a795cbd295198 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/68973f9db76144825e4f35dfdc80fb8279eb2d57 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6fd08e8d826c3aa4cc7021f5f9cdbb7fa7441d3f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd830e0bc25ee2d38cbfbdbb3cd77c5f53b2b6d5 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce2d4b121fb7545e1ed588e860c8e5fd5ad45224 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8876-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8878-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8879-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8877-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8875-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8889-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8886-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-2 (opens in a new tab)