In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

vxlan: do not arm the ageing timer on a device that is down

vxlan_changelink() arms vxlan->age_timer whenever the requested ageing
interval differs from the configured one:

if (conf.age_interval != vxlan->cfg.age_interval)
mod_timer(&vxlan->age_timer, jiffies);

There is no netif_running() test, so the timer is armed even on a device
that was never brought up. The only synchronous cancel in the driver is
the timer_delete_sync() in vxlan_stop(), which is .ndo_stop.
netif_close_many() drops devices without IFF_UP before
__dev_close_many() runs, so that cancel is skipped for such a device.

vxlan_setup() sets dev->needs_free_netdev = true and age_timer is a
member of struct vxlan_dev, so free_netdev() releases the allocation the
timer lives in while it is still queued on a timer_base.
expire_timers() unlinks the entry before it loads timer->function, so
the timer core writes through the freed object's list pointers:

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __run_timers+0x208/0x654
Write of size 8 at addr ffff00001adace68 by task true/192
__asan_store8+0x84/0xac
__run_timers+0x208/0x654
run_timer_softirq+0x154/0x18c
Allocated by task 189:
alloc_netdev_mqs+0x64/0x720
rtnl_create_link+0x4ac/0x520
rtnl_newlink+0x758/0xd00
Freed by task 191:
netdev_release+0x40/0x58
netdev_run_todo+0x4a4/0x8c0
rtnl_dellink+0x200/0x4e8

The rtnl operations involved are netns-scoped, so an unprivileged user
can perform them in a new user and network namespace.

Arming the timer on a down device never had an effect: vxlan_cleanup()
returns early on !netif_running(), and vxlan_open() arms the timer for
any non-zero interval once the device is brought up. Add the missing
test.

Discovered by XBOW, triaged by Baul Lee <[email protected]>

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History

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 17:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-250
CWE-416

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vxlan: do not arm the ageing timer on a device that is down vxlan_changelink() arms vxlan->age_timer whenever the requested ageing interval differs from the configured one: if (conf.age_interval != vxlan->cfg.age_interval) mod_timer(&vxlan->age_timer, jiffies); There is no netif_running() test, so the timer is armed even on a device that was never brought up. The only synchronous cancel in the driver is the timer_delete_sync() in vxlan_stop(), which is .ndo_stop. netif_close_many() drops devices without IFF_UP before __dev_close_many() runs, so that cancel is skipped for such a device. vxlan_setup() sets dev->needs_free_netdev = true and age_timer is a member of struct vxlan_dev, so free_netdev() releases the allocation the timer lives in while it is still queued on a timer_base. expire_timers() unlinks the entry before it loads timer->function, so the timer core writes through the freed object's list pointers: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __run_timers+0x208/0x654 Write of size 8 at addr ffff00001adace68 by task true/192 __asan_store8+0x84/0xac __run_timers+0x208/0x654 run_timer_softirq+0x154/0x18c Allocated by task 189: alloc_netdev_mqs+0x64/0x720 rtnl_create_link+0x4ac/0x520 rtnl_newlink+0x758/0xd00 Freed by task 191: netdev_release+0x40/0x58 netdev_run_todo+0x4a4/0x8c0 rtnl_dellink+0x200/0x4e8 The rtnl operations involved are netns-scoped, so an unprivileged user can perform them in a new user and network namespace. Arming the timer on a down device never had an effect: vxlan_cleanup() returns early on !netif_running(), and vxlan_open() arms the timer for any non-zero interval once the device is brought up. Add the missing test. Discovered by XBOW, triaged by Baul Lee <[email protected]>
Title vxlan: do not arm the ageing timer on a device that is down
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-22T15:32:00.588Z

Reserved: 2026-08-15T05:44:03.920Z

Link: CVE-2026-74615

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-22T16:16:34.143

Modified: 2026-08-22T16:16:34.143

Link: CVE-2026-74615

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-22T17:00:10Z

Weaknesses