UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68138: Use After Free

Q: Who is realistically exposed to this issue?

Systems running the affected Ubuntu kernel packages are exposed when they allow users or workloads with the necessary local privileges to create flower traffic-control filters with police actions. Because the rate-table list is global rather than per-network namespace, corruption can affect the system beyond the namespace that triggered it.

Q: What does an attacker need to do to trigger the race?

An attacker needs local access with privileges sufficient to submit RTM_NEWTFILTER requests. The trigger involves concurrent requests on different CPUs that add flower filters with police actions using the same rate.

Q: Are default traffic-control operations protected by the RTNL mutex?

Historically, rate-table operations were safe because callers held the RTNL mutex. Flower classifier operations marked as unlocked can reach the affected rate-table get and put functions without RTNL protection.

Q: What can happen if exploitation succeeds?

The race can cause a use-after-free or double-free of a qdisc_rate_table allocation. The affected object is shared system-wide, which can lead to system-wide memory corruption.

Published Aug 10, 2026

Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: serialize qdiscrtablist against concurrent get/put qdiscgetrtab() and qdiscputrtab() mutate the process-global singly linked list qdiscrtablist and a plain non-atomic 'int refcnt' with no lock. This was only safe because every caller historically held the RTNL mutex, which serialized all rate-table lookups, inserts and frees. That invariant no longer holds. clsflower sets TCFPROTOOPSDOITUNLOCKED, so tcnewtfilter() keeps rtnlheld == false for it and sets TCAACTFLAGSNORTNL. That flag propagates through tcfextsvalidateex() -> tcfactioninit() -> tcfactioninit1() -> tcfpoliceinit(), which calls qdiscgetrtab()/qdiscputrtab() with the RTNL mutex NOT held. Two RTMNEWTFILTER requests on different CPUs, each adding a flower filter with a police action carrying the same rate, then race on qdiscrtablist and on the non-atomic refcnt, leading to a use-after-free / double-free of the kmalloc-2k struct qdiscratetable. qdiscrtablist is a single global (not per-netns), so the corrupted object is shared system-wide. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in qdiscputrtab+0x12f/0x160 qdiscputrtab+0x12f/0x160 tcfpoliceinit+0xda9/0x1590 tcfactioninit1+0x460/0x6b0 tcfactioninit+0x439/0xa40 tcfextsvalidateex+0x42d/0x550 flchange+0xddd/0x7da0 tcnewtfilter+0xaa7/0x2420 rtnetlinkrcvmsg+0x95e/0xe90 which belongs to the cache kmalloc-2k of size 2048 Protect qdiscrtablist and the refcount with a dedicated spinlock. The (sleeping, GFPKERNEL) allocation in qdiscgetrtab() is performed before taking the lock; if a concurrent inserter added an identical table in the meantime the freshly allocated one is freed under the lock, so no duplicate is leaked. qdiscputrtab() now decrements the refcount and unlinks under the same lock.

Affected Software

226 affected componentsFixes available

ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-azure*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*

ubuntu/linux-gcp*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15*

ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-hwe*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*

ubuntu/linux-ibm-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-oem*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.3*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.4*

ubuntu/linux-raspi-5.4*

ubuntu/linux*

ubuntu/linux-aws*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.15<5.15.0-1119.126~20.04.1

5.15.0-1119.126~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-azure*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.15<5.15.0-1125.134~20.04.1

5.15.0-1125.134~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.15<5.15.0-1124.133~20.04.1

5.15.0-1124.133~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-bluefield*

ubuntu/linux-gcp*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.15<5.15.0-1120.130~20.04.1

5.15.0-1120.130~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-gke*

ubuntu/linux-gke-5.15*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.15*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.15<5.15.0-202.212~20.04.1

5.15.0-202.212~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-ibm*

ubuntu/linux-ibm-5.15<5.15.0-1113.117~20.04.1

5.15.0-1113.117~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-intel-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-intel-iotg-5.15<5.15.0-1114.120~20.04.1

5.15.0-1114.120~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-iot*

ubuntu/linux-kvm*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15<5.15.0-197.207~20.04.1

5.15.0-197.207~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15<5.15.0-1070.72~20.04.1

5.15.0-1070.72~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.10*

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.6*

ubuntu/linux-oracle*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.15<5.15.0-1116.122~20.04.1

5.15.0-1116.122~20.04.1

ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-raspi*

ubuntu/linux-raspi2*

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.11*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.15<5.15.0-1113.117~20.04.2

5.15.0-1113.117~20.04.2

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.8*

ubuntu/linux-xilinx-zynqmp*

ubuntu/linux-aws-fips*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fips*

ubuntu/linux-fips*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips*

ubuntu/linux-aws-fips*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fips*

ubuntu/linux-fips*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips*

ubuntu/linux<5.15.0-202.212

5.15.0-202.212

ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-aws<5.15.0-1119.126

5.15.0-1119.126

ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-azure<5.15.0-1125.134

5.15.0-1125.134

ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-gcp<5.15.0-1120.130

5.15.0-1120.130

ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-gke<5.15.0-1115.121

5.15.0-1115.121

ubuntu/linux-gkeop<5.15.0-1102.110

5.15.0-1102.110

ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-ibm<5.15.0-1113.117

5.15.0-1113.117

ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-intel-iotg<5.15.0-1114.120

5.15.0-1114.120

ubuntu/linux-kvm<5.15.0-1111.116

5.15.0-1111.116

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency<5.15.0-197.207

5.15.0-197.207

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia<5.15.0-1114.115

5.15.0-1114.115

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra<5.15.0-1070.72

5.15.0-1070.72

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra-igx<5.15.0-1059.59

5.15.0-1059.59

ubuntu/linux-oem-5.17*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.0*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.1*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-oracle<5.15.0-1116.122

5.15.0-1116.122

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-raspi*

ubuntu/linux-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*

ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*

ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*

ubuntu/linux-xilinx-zynqmp*

ubuntu/linux-bluefield<5.15.0-1103.105

5.15.0-1103.105

ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime<5.15.0-1111.115

5.15.0-1111.115

ubuntu/linux-realtime<5.15.0-1118.127

5.15.0-1118.127

ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-aws-fips*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fips*

ubuntu/linux-fips*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips*

ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<5.15.0-1119.126+fips1

5.15.0-1119.126+fips1

ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<5.15.0-1125.134+fips1

5.15.0-1125.134+fips1

ubuntu/linux-fips<5.15.0-202.212+fips1

5.15.0-202.212+fips1

ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips<5.15.0-1120.130+fips1

5.15.0-1120.130+fips1

ubuntu/linux*

ubuntu/linux-aws*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0<7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1

7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0<7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1

7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0<7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1

7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia*

ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-gcp*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0<7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1

7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-gke*

ubuntu/linux-gkeop*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0<7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4

7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4

ubuntu/linux-ibm*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency*

ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-7.0*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra<6.8.0-1035.38

6.8.0-1035.38

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-oracle*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0<7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1

7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-raspi*

ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-riscv*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0<7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1

7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-xilinx*

ubuntu/linux-bluefield*

ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-realtime*

ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14*

ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.17*

ubuntu/linux-aws-fips*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fips*

ubuntu/linux-fips*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips*

ubuntu/linux<7.0.0-38.38

7.0.0-38.38

ubuntu/linux-aws<7.0.0-1014.14

7.0.0-1014.14

ubuntu/linux-azure<7.0.0-1017.17

7.0.0-1017.17

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<7.0.0-1016.16

7.0.0-1016.16

ubuntu/linux-gcp<7.0.0-1014.14

7.0.0-1014.14

ubuntu/linux-gke<7.0.0-1008.9

7.0.0-1008.9

ubuntu/linux-ibm<7.0.0-1015.15

7.0.0-1015.15

ubuntu/linux-nvidia*

ubuntu/linux-nvidia-bos*

ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0<7.0.0-1015.15

7.0.0-1015.15

ubuntu/linux-oracle<7.0.0-1013.13

7.0.0-1013.13

ubuntu/linux-raspi*

ubuntu/linux-realtime<7.0.0-38.38.1

7.0.0-38.38.1

ubuntu/linux-riscv<7.0.0-38.38.1

7.0.0-38.38.1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1119.126~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1125.134~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1124.133~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1120.130~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-202.212~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1113.117~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-intel-iotg-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1114.120~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-197.207~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1070.72~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1116.122~20.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.15 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1113.117~20.04.2
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-202.212
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1119.126
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1125.134
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1120.130
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1115.121
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gkeop to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1102.110
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1113.117
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-intel-iotg to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1114.120
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-kvm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1111.116
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-197.207
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1114.115
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1070.72
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra-igx to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1059.59
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1116.122
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-bluefield to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1103.105
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1111.115
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1118.127
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1119.126+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1125.134+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-202.212+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 5.15.0-1120.130+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1035.38
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.16
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1008.9
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1015.15
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1015.15
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38.1
Compensating control
Protect the global qdisc_rtab_list and its refcount with a dedicated spinlock, and perform qdisc_put_rtab() refcount decrements and unlinking under that same lock.

Event History

Aug 10, 2026

CVE Published

via OSV·01:19 PM

Data Sourced

via OSV·01:19 PM

DescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is realistically exposed to this issue?

Systems running the affected Ubuntu kernel packages are exposed when they allow users or workloads with the necessary local privileges to create flower traffic-control filters with police actions. Because the rate-table list is global rather than per-network namespace, corruption can affect the system beyond the namespace that triggered it.

What does an attacker need to do to trigger the race?

An attacker needs local access with privileges sufficient to submit RTM_NEWTFILTER requests. The trigger involves concurrent requests on different CPUs that add flower filters with police actions using the same rate.

Are default traffic-control operations protected by the RTNL mutex?

Historically, rate-table operations were safe because callers held the RTNL mutex. Flower classifier operations marked as unlocked can reach the affected rate-table get and put functions without RTNL protection.

What can happen if exploitation succeeds?

The race can cause a use-after-free or double-free of a qdisc_rate_table allocation. The affected object is shared system-wide, which can lead to system-wide memory corruption.

UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68138: Use After Free

Affected Software

Remediation

Event History

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is realistically exposed to this issue?

What does an attacker need to do to trigger the race?

Are default traffic-control operations protected by the RTNL mutex?

What can happen if exploitation succeeds?

Company

Resources

Contact

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is realistically exposed to this issue?

What does an attacker need to do to trigger the race?

Are default traffic-control operations protected by the RTNL mutex?

What can happen if exploitation succeeds?