In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: netpoll: fix incorrect refcount handling causing incorrect cleanup
commit efa95b01da18 ("netpoll: fix use after free") incorrectly ignored the refcount and prematurely set dev->npinfo to NULL during netpoll cleanup, leading to improper behavior and memory leaks.
Scenario causing lack of proper cleanup:
1) A netpoll is associated with a NIC (e.g., eth0) and netdev->npinfo is allocated, and refcnt = 1 - Keep in mind that npinfo is shared among all netpoll instances. In this case, there is just one.
2) Another netpoll is also associated with the same NIC and npinfo->refcnt += 1. - Now dev->npinfo->refcnt = 2; - There is just one npinfo associated to the netdev.
3) When the first netpolls goes to clean up: - The first cleanup succeeds and clears np->dev->npinfo, ignoring refcnt. - It basically calls `RCU_INIT_POINTER(np->dev->npinfo, NULL);` - Set dev->npinfo = NULL, without proper cleanup - No ->ndo_netpoll_cleanup() is either called
4) Now the second target tries to clean up - The second cleanup fails because np->dev->npinfo is already NULL. * In this case, ops->ndo_netpoll_cleanup() was never called, and the skb pool is not cleaned as well (for the second netpoll instance) - This leaks npinfo and skbpool skbs, which is clearly reported by kmemleak.
Revert commit efa95b01da18 ("netpoll: fix use after free") and adds clarifying comments emphasizing that npinfo cleanup should only happen once the refcount reaches zero, ensuring stable and correct netpoll behavior.
Covered by Rapid7
| Product | Vendor Advisory | Solution File | Added | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux Ami 2 | — | Upgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade perfUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-livepatch-5.10.247-246.989Upgrade python-perfUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade python-perf-debuginfoUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-headers | May 20, 2026 | May 20, 2026 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linux-6.1Upgrade linux | Dec 18, 2025 | Dec 18, 2025 |
| Huawei Euleros 2_0_sp12 | — | Upgrade kernel-tools-libsUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-abi-stablelistsUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel | Mar 17, 2026 | Mar 16, 2026 |
| Huawei Euleros 2_0_sp13 | — | Upgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-tools-libsUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-abi-stablelists | Mar 10, 2026 | Mar 10, 2026 |
| Oracle_linux | — | Upgrade kernel-uek | Jan 15, 2026 | Dec 16, 2025 |
| Redhat_linux | — | No solution exists | Jul 17, 2026 | Dec 16, 2025 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1098-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1050-awsUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-173-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.17.0-14-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1007-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1110-azureUpgrade linux-image-awsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1052-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1052-gcpUpgrade linux-image-oracle-6.17Upgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-20.04dUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1007-awsUpgrade linux-image-realtime-5.15Upgrade linux-image-azure-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-5.15Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-aws-64k-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-gkeop-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-5.15Upgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-6.17Upgrade linux-image-azure-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-igx-rtUpgrade linux-image-raspi-6.17Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-106-fipsUpgrade linux-image-ibm-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-oracleUpgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-6.8Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1097-ibmUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1007-oracleUpgrade linux-image-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1049-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-rt-5.15Upgrade linux-image-fips-5.15Upgrade linux-image-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04bUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-realtime-6.17Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1097-raspiUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1095-kvmUpgrade linux-image-virtual-5.15Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1044-nvidia-tegra-igxUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-173-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1098-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1098-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-aws-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-20.04cUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-raspi-5.15Upgrade linux-image-generic-lpae-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-5.15Upgrade linux-image-gke-5.15Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1100-oracleUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1109-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1044-nvidia-tegra-igx-rtUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1086-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-gke-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gke-6.8Upgrade linux-image-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1103-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmp-5.15Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-173-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-oem-6.17Upgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-virtual-6.17Upgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1007-gcpUpgrade linux-image-aws-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-173-genericUpgrade linux-image-azure-cvmUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04cUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1094-intel-iot-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-intel-iot-realtime-5.15Upgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1050-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-igxUpgrade linux-image-gcp-6.8Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1103-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1011-oemUpgrade linux-image-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-aws-fips-5.15Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-173-fipsUpgrade linux-image-realtime-6.8.1Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-5.15Upgrade linux-image-raspi-realtime-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-6.17Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-106-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-106-genericUpgrade linux-image-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1052-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1051-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1050-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-14-genericUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1103-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04dUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-5.15Upgrade linux-image-intelUpgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1055-nvidia-tegra-rtUpgrade linux-image-gkeop-5.15Upgrade linux-image-azure-6.17Upgrade linux-image-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-5.15Upgrade linux-image-aws-64k-5.15Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1049-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1029-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04aUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-5.15Upgrade linux-image-intel-iotg-5.15Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-fipsUpgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-kvm-5.15Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-106-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1099-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1050-raspiUpgrade linux-image-intel-iot-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1049-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1007-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-xilinx-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-5.15Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegraUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-6.17Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-azure-fips-5.15Upgrade linux-image-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.8Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1048-gkeUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1055-nvidia-tegraUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04bUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-5.15Upgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1007-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1049-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-raspi-nolpaeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-106-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1035-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-aws-6.8Upgrade linux-image-ibm-5.15Upgrade linux-image-6.8.1-1045-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1109-azureUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-gcp-fips-5.15Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-173-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-rtUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-generic-lpae-5.15Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-2040-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-virtual-6.8Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-igx-5.15Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1049-ibmUpgrade linux-image-aws-5.15Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1067-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-5.15Upgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-igx-rt-5.15Upgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1102-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1103-gcpUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1008-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1008-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1048-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1052-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1006-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1103-awsUpgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-virtual | Feb 13, 2026 | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Vmware Photon_os | — | Use 'tdnf update' to upgrade all packages to the latest version. | May 27, 2026 | Dec 16, 2025 |
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