# CVE-2026-68117: tipc: clear sock->sk on the failed-insert path in tipc_sk_create()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel TIPC module allows local attackers to execute code or escalate privileges via a race condition during socket creation failure.

- **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:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-68117, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68117, GHSA-qmxc-qv48-vp67, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68117

## What is CVE-2026-68117?

CVE-2026-68117 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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:

tipc: clear sock->sk on the failed-insert path in tipc_sk_create()

When tipc_sk_create() fails to insert the new socket (tipc_sk_insert()
returns non-zero), its error path frees the sk with sk_free() but leaves
sock->sk pointing at the freed object:

	if (tipc_sk_insert(tsk)) {
		sk_free(sk);
		pr_warn("Socket create failed; port number exhausted\n");
		return -EINVAL;
	}

This is harmless for plain socket(): the syscall layer clears sock->ops
before releasing, so tipc_release() is never called. It is not harmless
on the accept() path. tipc_accept() creates the pre-allocated child
socket with tipc_sk_create(net, new_sock, 0, kern); on failure it leaves
new_sock->sk dangling and new_sock->ops non-NULL, and do_accept() then
fput()s the new file, so __sock_release() -> tipc_release() runs
lock_sock(new_sock->sk) on the freed sk -- a use-after-free write of the
sk_lock spinlock.

tipc_release() already guards this exact "failed accept() releases a
pre-allocated child" case with "if (sk == NULL) return 0;", but the
guard is bypassed because tipc_sk_create() left sock->sk non-NULL
(dangling) rather than NULL.

Clear sock->sk on the failed-insert path so the existing tipc_release()
NULL check fires and the use-after-free is avoided.

The tipc_sk_insert() failure is reached when the per-netns socket
rhashtable hits its max_size (tsk_rht_params.max_size = 1048576, ~2M
elements) -- i.e. once a netns holds ~2M TIPC sockets every insert
returns -E2BIG.

  BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in lock_sock_nested (net/core/sock.c:3839)
  Write of size 8 at addr ffff8880047cdc38 by task init/1
   lock_sock_nested (net/core/sock.c:3839)
   tipc_release (net/tipc/socket.c:638)
   __sock_release (net/socket.c:710)
   sock_close (net/socket.c:1501)
   __fput (fs/file_table.c:512)
  Allocated by task 1:
   sk_alloc (net/core/sock.c:2308)
   tipc_sk_create (net/tipc/socket.c:487)
   tipc_accept (net/tipc/socket.c:2744)
   do_accept (net/socket.c:2034)
  Freed by task 1:
   __sk_destruct (net/core/sock.c:2391)
   tipc_sk_create (net/tipc/socket.c:504)
   tipc_accept (net/tipc/socket.c:2744)
   do_accept (net/socket.c:2034)

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68117?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-68117?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-68117 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68117 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-68117 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-68117 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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-2026-68117 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-68117/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68117/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-68117
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68117
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68117

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68117/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.