# CVE-2026-64122: net/mlx5e: Fix use-after-free in mlx5e_tx_reporter_timeout_recover

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mlx5e network driver allows attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute code.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-64122, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64122, GHSA-q9qw-8fg7-ffww, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64122

## What is CVE-2026-64122?

CVE-2026-64122 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

net/mlx5e: Fix use-after-free in mlx5e_tx_reporter_timeout_recover

mlx5e_tx_reporter_timeout_recover() accesses sq->netdev after
mlx5e_safe_reopen_channels() has torn down and freed the channel (and
its embedded SQs). Replace the three sq->netdev references with
priv->netdev which is safe because priv outlives channel teardown.

The netdev_err() call already used priv->netdev for this reason; make
the trylock/unlock and health_channel_eq_recover calls consistent.

This fixes the following KASAN splat:

  BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in mlx5e_tx_reporter_timeout_recover+0x1dd/0x360 [mlx5_core]
  Read of size 8 at addr ffff889860ed0b28 by task kworker/u113:2/5277

  Call Trace:
   mlx5e_tx_reporter_timeout_recover+0x1dd/0x360 [mlx5_core]
   devlink_health_reporter_recover+0xa2/0x150
   devlink_health_report+0x254/0x7c0
   mlx5e_reporter_tx_timeout+0x297/0x380 [mlx5_core]
   mlx5e_tx_timeout_work+0x109/0x170 [mlx5_core]
   process_one_work+0x677/0xf20
   worker_thread+0x51f/0xd90
   kthread+0x3a5/0x810
   ret_from_fork+0x208/0x400
   ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64122?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64122?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64122 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64122 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-64122 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64122 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64122 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64122/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64122/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64122
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64122
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64122

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64122/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.