CVE-2026-68144 phonet: pep: fix use-after-free in pep_get_sb()
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Phonet protocol allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via crafted network packets.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-68144?
CVE-2026-68144 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:
phonet: pep: fix use-after-free in pep_get_sb()
pep_get_sb() doesn't consider that pskb_may_pull() might have relocated the skb data, and continue to access the older pointer, causing UAF.
Reproduced under KASAN:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in pep_get_sb+0x234/0x3b0 Read of size 1 at addr ff11000105510f50 by task repro/157 pep_get_sb+0x234/0x3b0 pipe_handler_do_rcv+0x5f7/0xa10 pep_do_rcv+0x203/0x410 __sk_receive_skb+0x471/0x4a0 phonet_rcv+0x5b3/0x6c0 __netif_receive_skb+0xcc/0x1d0
Refetch the header with skb_header_pointer() after pskb_may_pull(), so the possibly stale pointer is no longer dereferenced. There are better ways to solve this, but, this is the less instrusive one.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68144?
How do I fix CVE-2026-68144?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-68144 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68144 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-68144, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68144, GHSA-362p-g3rp-mxch, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68144.