VulnerabilityPublished 22 Aug 2026Updated 30 Sep 2026

CVE-2026-74677: Linux kernel · net: usb: ipheth: fix carrier_work UAF on disconnect

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

Not known to be exploited.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

Severity

Medium

Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD

EPSS: 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 22 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.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

ghsa-9v5w-7xmr-346p

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resolute`Other threats	Affected 6.17.0-5.5 – 7.0.0-34.34 22 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-aws`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resolute`Other threats	Affected 6.17.0-1002.2 – 7.0.0-1013.13 14 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resolute`Other threats	Affected 6.17.0-1003.3 – 7.0.0-1014.14 14 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fde`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resolute`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-1003.3 – 7.0.0-1013.13 8 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcp`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resolute`Other threats	Affected 6.17.0-1002.2 – 7.0.0-1013.13 12 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gke`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resolute`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-1002.3 – 7.0.0-1007.8 5 affected builds	Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

A patch has been applied to the Linux kernel ipheth driver that fixes the use-after-free by properly enabling and disabling the carrier_work based on interface state. Systems should update to a kernel version that includes this fix. Since the vulnerability is resolved in the kernel source, applying the official kernel update from the vendor or distribution is the recommended remediation. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the patch.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: usb: ipheth: fix carrier_work UAF on disconnect 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).

Impact

The vulnerability can cause use-after-free memory dereferences in the kernel, potentially leading to kernel crashes or instability. However, it does not allow privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution. No exploit code is known in the wild. The impact is limited to potential denial of service or system instability on affected systems when the ipheth USB network interface is used and devices are unplugged or interfaces are brought down during transmit operations.

Summary

The Linux kernel ipheth USB network driver had a use-after-free vulnerability caused by the carrier_work delayed work being re-armed after the network interface was closed and freed. Specifically, ipheth_sndbulk_callback() could schedule carrier_work even after ipheth_close() drained it, leading to carrier_work running on freed memory. This happened during USB device unplug or interface down events with transmit URBs in flight. The patch disables the carrier_work in ipheth_close() and enables it in ipheth_open(), ensuring no scheduling occurs when the interface is down. The vulnerability was reproducible under KASAN with dummy devices but is not a privilege escalation and no exploit primitives were developed.

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 11 Sep 2026, 01:03 UTC

Technical details

References

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