# CVE-2026-68126: mac802154: hold an interface reference across the scan worker

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel mac802154 scan worker allows local attackers with CAP_NET_ADMIN to execute code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-68126, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68126, GHSA-qgwv-jp48-q22g, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68126

## What is CVE-2026-68126?

CVE-2026-68126 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

mac802154: hold an interface reference across the scan worker

mac802154_scan_worker() captures the scanning sub-interface under RCU
and then keeps dereferencing sdata->dev after rcu_read_unlock() and
outside the rtnl -- in the failure traces, in
mac802154_transmit_beacon_req() (skb->dev = sdata->dev), and in the
end_scan cleanup. Nothing keeps that netdev alive across the worker
iteration.

A concurrent DEL_INTERFACE or PHY removal can unregister the interface
once the worker drops the rtnl between its two drv_set_channel()
sections. unregister_netdevice() frees the netdev asynchronously from
netdev_run_todo() with the rtnl already dropped, so neither holding the
rtnl nor the per-PHY IEEE802154_IS_SCANNING flag prevents a stale worker
iteration from dereferencing the freed netdev -- a KASAN
slab-use-after-free, reachable by racing TRIGGER_SCAN against
DEL_INTERFACE (both CAP_NET_ADMIN).

Pin the netdev with netdev_hold() while the RCU read lock is still held,
and release it at every worker exit.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68126?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-68126?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-68126 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68126 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-68126 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-68126 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68126 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-2026-68126/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68126/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-68126
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68126
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68126

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68126/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.