CVE-2026-68122 (GCVE-0-2026-68122)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-10 11:58 – Updated: 2026-08-17 04:59
VLAI
Title
ovpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths When either the TCP RX or TX error path calls ovpn_peer_hold() followed by schedule_work(&peer->tcp.defer_del_work), and the work item is already pending from the other path, schedule_work() returns false and the work runs only once. Since ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work() calls ovpn_peer_put() exactly once, the extra reference taken by the losing path is never dropped, leaking the peer object. The race window: CPU0 (strparser/RX error): CPU1 (tcp_tx_work/TX error): ovpn_peer_hold() <- refcnt+1 ovpn_peer_hold() <- refcnt+2 schedule_work() <- queued schedule_work() <- NO-OP (work already pending) ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work runs: ovpn_peer_del() ovpn_peer_put() <- refcnt+1 <- peer never freed Fix by checking the return value of schedule_work() in both paths and calling ovpn_peer_put() to drop the extra reference if the work was already pending. ovpn_peer_hold() is kept unconditional in the TX path as it cannot fail at that point.
Severity
No CVSS data available.
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb , < b08526bf0bbf84ceebd29033783e8e0c9f451286 (git)
Affected: a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb , < f08f39c1f43f3980d46b06af8ed99ffe84ac294a (git)
Affected: a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb , < 63bbe18fc03062f483c627838a566a707b62da79 (git)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Linux Linux Affected: 6.16
Unaffected: 0 , < 6.16 (semver)
Unaffected: 6.18.42 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.1.6 , ≤ 7.1.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/ovpn/tcp.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "b08526bf0bbf84ceebd29033783e8e0c9f451286",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "f08f39c1f43f3980d46b06af8ed99ffe84ac294a",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "63bbe18fc03062f483c627838a566a707b62da79",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/net/ovpn/tcp.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.16"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.16",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.18.42",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.1.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.1.6",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.42",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.16",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.1.6",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.16",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.2",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.16",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\novpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths\n\nWhen either the TCP RX or TX error path calls ovpn_peer_hold() followed\nby schedule_work(\u0026peer-\u003etcp.defer_del_work), and the work item is already\npending from the other path, schedule_work() returns false and the work\nruns only once. Since ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work() calls ovpn_peer_put()\nexactly once, the extra reference taken by the losing path is never\ndropped, leaking the peer object.\n\nThe race window:\n\n  CPU0 (strparser/RX error):       CPU1 (tcp_tx_work/TX error):\n  ovpn_peer_hold()   \u003c- refcnt+1   ovpn_peer_hold()   \u003c- refcnt+2\n  schedule_work()    \u003c- queued      schedule_work()    \u003c- NO-OP\n                                    (work already pending)\n  ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work runs:\n    ovpn_peer_del()\n    ovpn_peer_put()  \u003c- refcnt+1\n                                   \u003c- peer never freed\n\nFix by checking the return value of schedule_work() in both paths and\ncalling ovpn_peer_put() to drop the extra reference if the work was\nalready pending. ovpn_peer_hold() is kept unconditional in the TX path\nas it cannot fail at that point."
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T04:59:13.088Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b08526bf0bbf84ceebd29033783e8e0c9f451286"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f08f39c1f43f3980d46b06af8ed99ffe84ac294a"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/63bbe18fc03062f483c627838a566a707b62da79"
        }
      ],
      "title": "ovpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-68122",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-10T11:58:42.477Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-07-30T09:28:09.369Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-17T04:59:13.088Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-68122",
      "date": "2026-08-20",
      "epss": "0.00173",
      "percentile": "0.07083"
    },
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-68122\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"published\":\"2026-08-10T13:19:57.317\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-08-17T05:18:11.810\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Received\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\\n\\novpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths\\n\\nWhen either the TCP RX or TX error path calls ovpn_peer_hold() followed\\nby schedule_work(\u0026peer-\u003etcp.defer_del_work), and the work item is already\\npending from the other path, schedule_work() returns false and the work\\nruns only once. Since ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work() calls ovpn_peer_put()\\nexactly once, the extra reference taken by the losing path is never\\ndropped, leaking the peer object.\\n\\nThe race window:\\n\\n  CPU0 (strparser/RX error):       CPU1 (tcp_tx_work/TX error):\\n  ovpn_peer_hold()   \u003c- refcnt+1   ovpn_peer_hold()   \u003c- refcnt+2\\n  schedule_work()    \u003c- queued      schedule_work()    \u003c- NO-OP\\n                                    (work already pending)\\n  ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work runs:\\n    ovpn_peer_del()\\n    ovpn_peer_put()  \u003c- refcnt+1\\n                                   \u003c- peer never freed\\n\\nFix by checking the return value of schedule_work() in both paths and\\ncalling ovpn_peer_put() to drop the extra reference if the work was\\nalready pending. ovpn_peer_hold() is kept unconditional in the TX path\\nas it cannot fail at that point.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"drivers/net/ovpn/tcp.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb\",\"lessThan\":\"b08526bf0bbf84ceebd29033783e8e0c9f451286\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb\",\"lessThan\":\"f08f39c1f43f3980d46b06af8ed99ffe84ac294a\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"a6a5e87b3ee4cbf9c69a776565378c9b6a91dbfb\",\"lessThan\":\"63bbe18fc03062f483c627838a566a707b62da79\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"drivers/net/ovpn/tcp.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"6.16\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"6.16\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.18.42\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.18.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.1.6\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"7.1.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"7.2\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"*\",\"versionType\":\"original_commit_for_fix\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/63bbe18fc03062f483c627838a566a707b62da79\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b08526bf0bbf84ceebd29033783e8e0c9f451286\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f08f39c1f43f3980d46b06af8ed99ffe84ac294a\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}",
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-12T22:18:18+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-68122",
      "id": "CVE-2026-68122",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-10T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "276",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: ovpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-68122.json",
      "version": "3"
    },
    "suse_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "low",
      "current_release_date": "2026-08-14T23:45:54Z",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-68122",
      "id": "CVE-2026-68122",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-08-14T23:45:54Z",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "296",
      "source": "SUSE CSAF VEX",
      "status": "interim",
      "title": "SUSE CVE CVE-2026-68122",
      "url": "https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf-vex/cve-2026-68122.json",
      "version": "2"
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.





Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.