CVE-2026-64177 — phonet/pep: disable BH around forwarded sk_receive_skb()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: phonet/pep: disable BH around forwarded sk_receive_skb() The networking receive path is usually run from softirq context, but protocols that take the socket lock may have packets stored in the backlog and processed later from process context. In that case release_sock() -> __release_sock() drops the slock with spin_unlock_bh() and then calls sk->sk_backlog_rcv() with bottom halves enabled. Typical sk_backlog_rcv handlers process the socket whose backlog is being drained, so the BH state at entry is irrelevant for the slocks they touch. pep_do_rcv() is different: when the inbound skb targets an existing PEP pipe, it forwards the skb to a different *child* socket via sk_receive_skb(). That helper takes the child slock with bh_lock_sock_nested(), which is just spin_lock_nested() and assumes BH is already off. The same child slock therefore ends up acquired with BH on (process path) and with BH off (softirq path): process context softirq context --------------- --------------- release_sock(listener) __netif_receive_skb() __release_sock() phonet_rcv() spin_unlock_bh() __sk_receive_skb(listener) [BH now ENABLED] [BH already disabled] sk_backlog_rcv: sk_backlog_rcv: pep_do_rcv() pep_do_rcv() sk_receive_skb(child) sk_receive_skb(child) bh_lock_sock_nested(child) bh_lock_sock_nested(child) => SOFTIRQ-ON-W => IN-SOFTIRQ-W Lockdep flags this as inconsistent lock state, and it can become a real self-deadlock if a softirq on the same CPU tries to receive to the same child socket while its slock is held in the BH-enabled path: WARNING: inconsistent lock state inconsistent {SOFTIRQ-ON-W} -> {IN-SOFTIRQ-W} usage. (slock-AF_PHONET/1){+.?.}-{3:3}, at: __sk_receive_skb+0x1cf/0x900 __sk_receive_skb net/core/sock.c:563 sk_receive_skb include/net/sock.h:2022 [inline] pep_do_rcv net/phonet/pep.c:675 sk_backlog_rcv include/net/sock.h:1190 __release_sock net/core/sock.c:3216 release_sock net/core/sock.c:3815 pep_sock_accept net/phonet/pep.c:879 Wrap the forwarded sk_receive_skb() in local_bh_disable() / local_bh_enable() so the child slock is always acquired with BH off. local_bh_disable() nests safely on the softirq path. Discovered via in-house syzkaller fuzzing; the same root cause also on the linux-6.1.y syzbot dashboard as extid 44f0626dd6284f02663c. Reproduced under KASAN + LOCKDEP + PROVE_LOCKING, reproducer: https://pastebin.com/A3t8xzCR
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
- Technical severity (medium)+3
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)
- 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).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
version 2.6.28≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < dbc81608e3a653dea6cf403f20cae35468b8ab9c≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < a3fc8f2dacd1c37325977fc1fbbf3d52141df99e≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < 84bc87beb4cd77670939b446326788e4c9b3db37≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < bd795f106b3889fb0706c6e4831c4b27e2b5666b≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < 8420aa4900417797323dd567ba9d1512280c2dc3≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < 02c04df84de709060f63e1d52ec67488c4f6f212≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < b2606c302d7f2b4ee48da05e32ed60aed1b0cd53 and 1 more≥ 9641458d3ec42def729fde64669abf07f3220cd5 and < f08c45076e4fd8b0adbc5eb186d6e6a3e7350d7b |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 7.1-rc4≥ 2.6.28 and < 5.10.258version 7.1-rc3version 7.1-rc2version 7.1-rc1≥ 6.19 and < 7.0.11≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.34≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.92 and 3 more≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.142≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.175≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.209 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
8 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd795f106b3889fb0706c6e4831c4b27e2b5666b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dbc81608e3a653dea6cf403f20cae35468b8ab9c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b2606c302d7f2b4ee48da05e32ed60aed1b0cd53
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8420aa4900417797323dd567ba9d1512280c2dc3
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f08c45076e4fd8b0adbc5eb186d6e6a3e7350d7b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/84bc87beb4cd77670939b446326788e4c9b3db37
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a3fc8f2dacd1c37325977fc1fbbf3d52141df99e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/02c04df84de709060f63e1d52ec67488c4f6f212
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 12h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 12h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 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 FIRST EPSS score.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- 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-2026-64177 is "phonet/pep: disable BH around forwarded sk_receive_skb()", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. 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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