Use After Free in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-23281

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Main Vulnerability Database Vulnerabilities #VU124583

Use After Free in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-23281

Published: March 25, 2026


Vulnerability identifier: #VU124583
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4 BT: 4.5 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-23281
CWE-ID: CWE-416
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability: No public exploit available

Vulnerability details

The vulnerability allows a local user to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service.

The vulnerability exists due to use-after-free in lbs_free_adapter() function in the Linux kernel's libertas Wi-Fi driver when handling timer cleanup during device adapter release. A local user can trigger the release of the adapter structure while timer callbacks are still executing, leading to access of freed memory and potential execution of arbitrary code or system crash.

Exploitation requires the ability to trigger device cleanup, which is typically available to users with access to network device interfaces.


Affected software

Linux kernel
Debian Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15
Legacy Module
SUSE Linux Enterprise Live Patching
Public Cloud Module
SUSE Real Time Module
Basesystem Module
Development Tools Module
Ubuntu
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_7_37-rt
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_7_37-rt-debuginfo
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_11-debugsource
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_53_37-default-debuginfo
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_53_37-default
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_11-debugsource
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fde (Ubuntu package)
linux (Debian package)
kernel-syms-rt
dlm-kmp-rt
kernel-rt
kernel-source-rt
kernel-devel-rt
gfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo
kernel-rt-debuginfo
gfs2-kmp-rt
cluster-md-kmp-rt
kernel-rt-debugsource
ocfs2-kmp-rt
kernel-rt-devel
kernel-rt-devel-debuginfo
cluster-md-kmp-rt-debuginfo
dlm-kmp-rt-debuginfo
ocfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo
kernel-devel
kernel-macros
kernel-default-debuginfo
kernel-default-debugsource
kernel-default-devel
kernel-default-devel-debuginfo
kernel-default
kernel-64kb-debugsource
kernel-64kb-devel
kernel-64kb-debuginfo
kernel-64kb-devel-debuginfo
kernel-64kb
gfs2-kmp-default
kernel-azure-debugsource
ocfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo
gfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo
dlm-kmp-default
cluster-md-kmp-default-debuginfo
cluster-md-kmp-default
dlm-kmp-default-debuginfo
ocfs2-kmp-default
kernel-default-extra-debuginfo
kernel-default-extra
kernel-default-livepatch-devel
kernel-default-livepatch
kernel-azure-devel
kernel-zfcpdump
kernel-azure-debuginfo
kernel-azure-devel-debuginfo
kernel-source
kernel-zfcpdump-debugsource
kernel-zfcpdump-debuginfo
kernel-docs
kernel-obs-build
kernel-obs-build-debugsource
kernel-syms
kernel-azure
reiserfs-kmp-default-debuginfo
reiserfs-kmp-default
kernel-default-base
linux-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package)
linux-oracle-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fde-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package)

How to mitigate CVE-2026-23281

Install security update from vendor's repository.

Linux kernel - update to 7.0 rc3
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_7_37-rt - update to 1-150700.1.3.1
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_7_37-rt-debuginfo - update to 1-150700.1.3.1
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_11-debugsource - update to 1-150700.1.3.1
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_53_37-default-debuginfo - update to 1-150700.15.3.1
kernel-livepatch-6_4_0-150700_53_37-default - update to 1-150700.15.3.1
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_11-debugsource - update to 1-150700.15.3.1
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.184.155, 5.15.0-184.194, 5.15.0-184.194~20.04.1, 5.15.0.186.166, 5.15.0-186.196, 5.15.0-186.196~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1075.78, 5.15.0-1075.79, 5.15.0.1095.94, 5.15.0-1095.103, 5.15.0.1104.100, 5.15.0-1104.109, 5.15.0.1108.107, 5.15.0-1108.114, 5.15.0.1111.115, 5.15.0-1111.120+fips1, 5.15.0.1112.102, 5.15.0.1112.109, 5.15.0-1112.122, 5.15.0-1112.122+fips1, 6.8.0-136.136, 6.8.0-1046.50, 6.8.0-1059.67, 6.8.0-1064.72, 6.8.0-1064.72~22.04.1, 6.8.1-1056.57, 6.8.1-1056.57~22.04.2
linux-aws (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.186.109, 5.15.0-186.196+fips1, 5.15.0.1106.103, 5.15.0-1106.110, 5.15.0.1107.107, 5.15.0-1107.108, 5.15.0.1112.108, 5.15.0.1112.115, 5.15.0-1112.119, 5.15.0-1112.119+fips1, 5.15.0-1112.119~20.04.1, 6.8.0-1061.64+1
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1053.53, 5.15.0.1053.55, 5.15.0.1064.64, 5.15.0-1064.66
linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - update to 5.15.0-1064.66~20.04.1
linux-ibm-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - update to 5.15.0-1106.110~20.04.1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1109.105, 5.15.0-1109.115, 5.15.0.1117.115, 5.15.0-1117.126, 6.8.0-1063.71, 6.8.0-1063.71~22.04.1
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1109.115~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1117.126~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1117.126~20.04.2
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1117.102, 5.15.0-1117.126+fips1, 6.8.0-1063.71+fips2
linux-azure-fde (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1117.126, 6.8.0-1062.69
linux (Debian package) - addressed in versions 6.1.170-1, 6.12.85-1
kernel-syms-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.1
dlm-kmp-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-source-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-devel-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
gfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-rt-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
gfs2-kmp-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
cluster-md-kmp-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-rt-debugsource - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
ocfs2-kmp-rt - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-rt-devel - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-rt-devel-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
cluster-md-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
dlm-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
ocfs2-kmp-rt-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.7.37.2
kernel-devel - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-macros - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-debugsource - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-devel - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-devel-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-64kb-debugsource - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-64kb-devel - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-64kb-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-64kb-devel-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-64kb - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
gfs2-kmp-default - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-azure-debugsource - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
ocfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
gfs2-kmp-default-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
dlm-kmp-default - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
cluster-md-kmp-default-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
cluster-md-kmp-default - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
dlm-kmp-default-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
ocfs2-kmp-default - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-extra-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-extra - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-livepatch-devel - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-livepatch - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-azure-devel - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-zfcpdump - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-azure-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-azure-devel-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-source - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-zfcpdump-debugsource - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-zfcpdump-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-docs - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-obs-build - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-obs-build-debugsource - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-syms - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-azure - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
reiserfs-kmp-default-debuginfo - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
reiserfs-kmp-default - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1
kernel-default-base - update to 6.4.0-150700.53.37.1.150700.17.25.1
linux-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-136.136+fips2, 6.8.0-136.136.2, 6.8.0-136.136.2~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1058.61
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-136.136~22.04.1
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1030.31, 6.8.0-1033.34, 6.8.0-1061.62, 6.8.0-1061.62~22.04.1
linux-oracle-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1058.61~22.04.1
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1059.62, 6.8.0-1059.62.1, 6.8.0-1059.62~22.04.1
linux-aws-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1061.64+fips1, 6.8.0-1061.64~22.04.1
linux-azure-fde-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1062.69~22.04.1
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1064.72+fips1

External References

Related Security Bulletins