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In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/handshake: hand off the pinned file reference to accept_doit… (CVE-2026-63979)

0
Critical
Published: 07/19/2026 (07/19/2026, 18:31:48 UTC)
Source: GCVE Database

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/handshake: hand off the pinned file reference to accept_doit handshake_req_next() removes the request from the per-net pending list and drops hn_lock before handshake_nl_accept_doit() reads req->hr_sk->sk_socket and dereferences sock->file (once in FD_PREPARE() and again in get_file()). In that window a consumer running tls_handshake_cancel() followed by sockfd_put() (svc_sock_free) or __fput_sync() (xs_reset_transport) releases sock->file. sock_release() then runs sock_orphan(), zeroing sk_socket, and frees the struct socket. The accept-side code either reads NULL through sk_socket or chases freed memory. The submit-side sock_hold() does not prevent this. sk_refcnt protects struct sock, but struct socket and sock->file are independently refcounted via the file descriptor the consumer owns. Pinning sk leaves sock and sock->file unprotected. Retarget the accept-side dereferences at req->hr_file, which was pinned at submit time, instead of req->hr_sk->sk_socket->file. Pinning on its own is not sufficient: a consumer that cancels between handshake_req_next() returning and accept_doit reaching FD_PREPARE() takes the !remove_pending() branch in handshake_req_cancel() and drops hr_file before the accept side takes its own reference. Hand off an additional file reference inside handshake_req_next(), under hn_lock, so the accept side operates on a reference that no concurrent handshake_req_cancel() can revoke. FD_PREPARE() consumes that handed-off reference, either by transferring it to the new fd in fd_publish() or by dropping it in the cleanup destructor on error; the explicit get_file() that previously balanced FD_PREPARE() is therefore redundant and goes away. Update handshake_req_cancel_test2 and _test3 to simulate the FD_PREPARE() consumption with an fput() so the kunit file-count assertions stay balanced.

CVSS v3.1

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

AI-Powered Analysis

Machine-generated threat intelligence

AILast updated: 07/19/2026, 20:03:13 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-63979 addresses a race condition in the Linux kernel's net/handshake subsystem where the accept-side code dereferenced sock->file via sk_socket without sufficient protection. The vulnerability arises because sock->file can be released concurrently by a consumer calling tls_handshake_cancel() followed by sockfd_put() or __fput_sync(), leading to use-after-free or NULL dereference. The patch changes the code to hand off a pinned file reference (req->hr_file) at submit time, ensuring the accept side works on a stable reference that cannot be revoked by concurrent cancellation. This eliminates the unsafe dereference and removes redundant get_file() calls. Test updates ensure file reference counts remain balanced.

Potential Impact

The vulnerability could cause kernel crashes or memory corruption due to use-after-free or NULL pointer dereferences in the socket handshake code. This may affect system stability or reliability. There is no information about exploitation in the wild or direct security impact such as privilege escalation or information disclosure.

Mitigation Recommendations

A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to address this issue by changing how file references are managed during handshake acceptance. Users should apply the official kernel updates that include this patch when available. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed in the provided data; check the vendor advisory or Linux kernel mailing lists for the current remediation status and updated kernel versions containing the fix.

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Technical Details

Gcve Source
db.gcve.eu
Osv Id
GHSA-52c3-j5qj-8hpp
Osv Schema Version
1.4.0
Aliases
["CVE-2026-63979"]
Ecosystems
[]
Database Specific Severity
null
Cvss Version
null

Threat ID: 6a5d27aa2a4a8d598912e263

Added to database: 07/19/2026, 19:38:18 UTC

Last enriched: 07/19/2026, 20:03:13 UTC

Last updated: 07/20/2026, 19:41:22 UTC

Views: 13

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