CVE-2026-72123 — can: bcm: defer rx_op deallocation to workqueue to fix thrtimer UAF
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: can: bcm: defer rx_op deallocation to workqueue to fix thrtimer UAF Commit f1b4e32aca08 ("can: bcm: use call_rcu() instead of costly synchronize_rcu()") replaced synchronize_rcu() in bcm_delete_rx_op() with call_rcu() and introduced the RX_NO_AUTOTIMER flag. However, this flag check was omitted for thrtimer in the packet rx fast-path. During BCM RX operation teardown, a concurrent RCU reader (bcm_rx_handler) can race and re-arm thrtimer via bcm_rx_update_and_send() after call_rcu() has been scheduled. Once the RCU grace period elapses, bcm_op is freed. The subsequently firing thrtimer then dereferences the deallocated op, causing a UAF. Adding flag checks to the rx fast-path (bcm_rx_update_and_send) does not fully close the TOCTOU race and introduces latency for every CAN frame. Conversely, calling hrtimer_cancel() directly inside the RCU callback (softirq context) is fatal as hrtimer_cancel() can sleep, triggering a "scheduling while atomic" panic. Resolve this by deferring the timer cancellation and memory free to a dedicated unbound workqueue (bcm_wq). The RCU callback now queues a work item to bcm_wq, which safely cancels both timers and deallocates memory in sleepable process context. A dedicated workqueue is used to prevent system-wide WQ saturation and is cleanly flushed/destroyed on module unload to avoid rmmod page faults. Since the deferred work can now outlive the calling context by an unbounded amount, also take a reference on op->sk when it is assigned and drop it only once the deferred work has cancelled both timers, so a socket can no longer be freed out from under a still-armed timer whose callback (bcm_send_to_user()) dereferences op->sk.
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 (high)+6
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.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
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).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- 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 fbac09a3b8890003c0c55294c00709f3ae5501bbversion 5.19≥ 5.18.11 and < 5.19≥ 5.4.205 and < 5.5≥ 4.19.252 and < 4.20≥ 5.15.54 and < 5.15.216≥ 5.10.130 and < 5.10.265version edb4baffb9483141a50fb7f7146cfe4a4c0c2db8 and 9 moreversion 5b48f5711f1c630841ab78dcc061de902f0e37bf≥ 85cd41070df992d3c0dfd828866fdd243d3b774a and < de5fce46637de05bef56ec08528127676eb6fc9b≥ f1b4e32aca0811aa011c76e5d6cf2fa19224b386 and < 68973f9db76144825e4f35dfdc80fb8279eb2d57≥ f1b4e32aca0811aa011c76e5d6cf2fa19224b386 and < ce2d4b121fb7545e1ed588e860c8e5fd5ad45224≥ f1b4e32aca0811aa011c76e5d6cf2fa19224b386 and < cd830e0bc25ee2d38cbfbdbb3cd77c5f53b2b6d5≥ f1b4e32aca0811aa011c76e5d6cf2fa19224b386 and < 6fd08e8d826c3aa4cc7021f5f9cdbb7fa7441d3f≥ f1b4e32aca0811aa011c76e5d6cf2fa19224b386 and < 4177762f70646ac48a2af382e45a795cbd295198≥ f1b4e32aca0811aa011c76e5d6cf2fa19224b386 and < 3cf4fd5316f449811d8baf1bc6978ef5a7b743a9≥ f34f2a18e47b73e48f90a757e1f4aaa8c7d665a1 and < 036a8c320ca11bc912e8027adcfad14b326f067e |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) 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
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Received
- 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/4177762f70646ac48a2af382e45a795cbd295198
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/de5fce46637de05bef56ec08528127676eb6fc9b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3cf4fd5316f449811d8baf1bc6978ef5a7b743a9
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce2d4b121fb7545e1ed588e860c8e5fd5ad45224
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/036a8c320ca11bc912e8027adcfad14b326f067e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/68973f9db76144825e4f35dfdc80fb8279eb2d57
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6fd08e8d826c3aa4cc7021f5f9cdbb7fa7441d3f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd830e0bc25ee2d38cbfbdbb3cd77c5f53b2b6d5
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 13h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 13h
- 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 fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- 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-2026-72123 is "can: bcm: defer rx_op deallocation to workqueue to fix thrtimer UAF", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 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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