Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
l2tp: use refcount_inc_not_zero in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname
A reader in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname() can return a pointer to a
session whose refcount has reached zero. The getter takes its
reference with plain refcount_inc(), but every other session getter
in the same file (l2tp_v2_session_get, l2tp_v3_session_get, and the
corresponding _get_next variants) uses refcount_inc_not_zero()
because the IDR/RCU lookup can race with refcount_dec_and_test() ->
l2tp_session_free() -> kfree_rcu(). The ifname getter is the only
outlier; the inconsistency was raised on-list after 979c017803c4
("l2tp: use list_del_rcu in l2tp_session_unhash").
A reader inside rcu_read_lock_bh() that matches session->ifname can
be preempted between the strcmp() and the refcount_inc(). If the
last reference drops on another CPU in that window, the reader's
refcount_inc() runs on a counter that has reached zero. refcount_t
catches the addition-on-zero, prints "refcount_t: addition on 0;
use-after-free", saturates the counter, and returns the saturated
pointer to the caller. Session memory is held live by the in-flight
RCU read section, but the kfree_rcu() callback queued from
l2tp_session_free() will free it once the grace period closes; a
caller that dereferences the returned session past that point hits
a slab-use-after-free. On PREEMPT_RT local_bh_disable() is a per-CPU
sleeping lock and the preemption window is real; on stock PREEMPT
kernels local_bh_disable() is a preempt_count increment that closes
the cross-CPU race in practice (see below).
Use refcount_inc_not_zero() and continue the list walk on failure,
matching the other session getters in the file. The ifname getter
is the only session getter in net/l2tp/ that still uses the bare
refcount_inc() pattern; this change restores file-internal
consistency. The success path is unchanged.
l2tp: use refcount_inc_not_zero in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname
A reader in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname() can return a pointer to a
session whose refcount has reached zero. The getter takes its
reference with plain refcount_inc(), but every other session getter
in the same file (l2tp_v2_session_get, l2tp_v3_session_get, and the
corresponding _get_next variants) uses refcount_inc_not_zero()
because the IDR/RCU lookup can race with refcount_dec_and_test() ->
l2tp_session_free() -> kfree_rcu(). The ifname getter is the only
outlier; the inconsistency was raised on-list after 979c017803c4
("l2tp: use list_del_rcu in l2tp_session_unhash").
A reader inside rcu_read_lock_bh() that matches session->ifname can
be preempted between the strcmp() and the refcount_inc(). If the
last reference drops on another CPU in that window, the reader's
refcount_inc() runs on a counter that has reached zero. refcount_t
catches the addition-on-zero, prints "refcount_t: addition on 0;
use-after-free", saturates the counter, and returns the saturated
pointer to the caller. Session memory is held live by the in-flight
RCU read section, but the kfree_rcu() callback queued from
l2tp_session_free() will free it once the grace period closes; a
caller that dereferences the returned session past that point hits
a slab-use-after-free. On PREEMPT_RT local_bh_disable() is a per-CPU
sleeping lock and the preemption window is real; on stock PREEMPT
kernels local_bh_disable() is a preempt_count increment that closes
the cross-CPU race in practice (see below).
Use refcount_inc_not_zero() and continue the list walk on failure,
matching the other session getters in the file. The ifname getter
is the only session getter in net/l2tp/ that still uses the bare
refcount_inc() pattern; this change restores file-internal
consistency. The success path is unchanged.
Analysis
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
No data.
No data.
No data available yet.
Remediation
No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
Sign in to view the affected projects.
Advisories
No advisories yet.
References
History
Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics |
cvssV3_1
|
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: l2tp: use refcount_inc_not_zero in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname A reader in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname() can return a pointer to a session whose refcount has reached zero. The getter takes its reference with plain refcount_inc(), but every other session getter in the same file (l2tp_v2_session_get, l2tp_v3_session_get, and the corresponding _get_next variants) uses refcount_inc_not_zero() because the IDR/RCU lookup can race with refcount_dec_and_test() -> l2tp_session_free() -> kfree_rcu(). The ifname getter is the only outlier; the inconsistency was raised on-list after 979c017803c4 ("l2tp: use list_del_rcu in l2tp_session_unhash"). A reader inside rcu_read_lock_bh() that matches session->ifname can be preempted between the strcmp() and the refcount_inc(). If the last reference drops on another CPU in that window, the reader's refcount_inc() runs on a counter that has reached zero. refcount_t catches the addition-on-zero, prints "refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free", saturates the counter, and returns the saturated pointer to the caller. Session memory is held live by the in-flight RCU read section, but the kfree_rcu() callback queued from l2tp_session_free() will free it once the grace period closes; a caller that dereferences the returned session past that point hits a slab-use-after-free. On PREEMPT_RT local_bh_disable() is a per-CPU sleeping lock and the preemption window is real; on stock PREEMPT kernels local_bh_disable() is a preempt_count increment that closes the cross-CPU race in practice (see below). Use refcount_inc_not_zero() and continue the list walk on failure, matching the other session getters in the file. The ifname getter is the only session getter in net/l2tp/ that still uses the bare refcount_inc() pattern; this change restores file-internal consistency. The success path is unchanged. | |
| Title | l2tp: use refcount_inc_not_zero in l2tp_session_get_by_ifname | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-07-20T13:41:28.058Z
Reserved: 2026-07-19T07:54:57.020Z
Link: CVE-2026-63918
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
No data.
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.