CVE-2026-46135 — nvmet-tcp: fix race between ICReq handling and queue teardown
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvmet-tcp: fix race between ICReq handling and queue teardown nvmet_tcp_handle_icreq() updates queue->state after sending an Initialization Connection Response (ICResp), but it does so without serializing against target-side queue teardown. If an NVMe/TCP host sends an Initialization Connection Request (ICReq) and immediately closes the connection, target-side teardown may start in softirq context before io_work drains the already buffered ICReq. In that case, nvmet_tcp_schedule_release_queue() sets queue->state to NVMET_TCP_Q_DISCONNECTING and drops the queue reference under state_lock. If io_work later processes that ICReq, nvmet_tcp_handle_icreq() can still overwrite the state back to NVMET_TCP_Q_LIVE. That defeats the DISCONNECTING-state guard in nvmet_tcp_schedule_release_queue() and allows a later socket state change to re-enter teardown and issue a second kref_put() on an already released queue. The ICResp send failure path has the same problem. If teardown has already moved the queue to DISCONNECTING, a send error can still overwrite the state with NVMET_TCP_Q_FAILED, again reopening the window for a second teardown path to drop the queue reference. Fix this by serializing both post-send state transitions with state_lock and bailing out if teardown has already started. Use -ESHUTDOWN as an internal sentinel for that bail-out path rather than propagating it as a transport error like -ECONNRESET. Keep nvmet_tcp_socket_error() setting rcv_state to NVMET_TCP_RECV_ERR before honoring that sentinel so receive-side parsing stays quiesced until the existing release path completes.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.4% (30-day exploitation probability)+5
- Technical severity (critical)+10
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (logic error), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < b7dd4d27aa70bd98bb10572310e913668baf6a65≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < 9c63cf80895a70eb4fcfcaa725bb1ac9ae76f02b≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < 6f96dea4819d122737b217ea16660d255abbf8c6≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < 5f0b95ef68ab9afba75b20eebf436130f80c161a≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < 49891c8fe0cb43fbbe480da1cdccfbbaeb820cb3≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < 67e1aaf93b495c2f10bc8a5fbba575fbb7f449b6≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < dcfe4d1f7960e7d1c01642318f3aae1a604f8508≥ 872d26a391da92ed8f0c0f5cb5fef428067b7f30 and < 5293a8882c549fab4a878bc76b0b6c951f980a61 and 1 moreversion 5.0 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 5.0 and < 6.12.88≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.30≥ 6.19 and < 7.0.7version 7.1-rc1 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 0.40%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Undergoing Analysis
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
8 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5293a8882c549fab4a878bc76b0b6c951f980a61
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dcfe4d1f7960e7d1c01642318f3aae1a604f8508
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/49891c8fe0cb43fbbe480da1cdccfbbaeb820cb3
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/67e1aaf93b495c2f10bc8a5fbba575fbb7f449b6
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5f0b95ef68ab9afba75b20eebf436130f80c161a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c63cf80895a70eb4fcfcaa725bb1ac9ae76f02b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6f96dea4819d122737b217ea16660d255abbf8c6
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7dd4d27aa70bd98bb10572310e913668baf6a65
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 16h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 16h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-46135 is "nvmet-tcp: fix race between ICReq handling and queue teardown", rated Critical. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.40% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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