CVE-2026-72469

xprtrdma: Fix ep kref imbalance on ADDR_CHANGE

Published Aug 15, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

xprtrdma: Fix ep kref imbalance on ADDR_CHANGE

rpcrdma_cm_event_handler() falls through to the disconnected: label
on RDMA_CM_EVENT_ADDR_CHANGE and calls rpcrdma_ep_put() with no
matching get when the event arrives before RDMA_CM_EVENT_ESTABLISHED.
The kref then underflows during connect teardown and
rpcrdma_xprt_disconnect() operates on a freed ep.

Reference counts across a normal connection lifecycle:

rpcrdma_ep_create() kref_init ->1
rpcrdma_xprt_connect() ep_get ->2 (before post_recvs)
RDMA_CM_EVENT_ESTABLISHED ep_get ->3
RDMA_CM_EVENT_DISCONNECTED ep_put ->2
rpcrdma_xprt_drain() ep_put ->1
rpcrdma_xprt_disconnect() tail ep_put ->0 (ep_destroy)

The connect-time get in rpcrdma_xprt_connect(), taken just before
rpcrdma_post_recvs() "while there are outstanding Receives," is
balanced by rpcrdma_xprt_drain. ADDR_CHANGE before ESTABLISHED has
no get to consume, so its put drops the count to 1 and the drain
put then frees the ep while rpcrdma_xprt_disconnect() still holds a
pointer to it.

Fix by dispatching on the prior re_connect_status via xchg(): for
prev == 0 (pre-ESTABLISHED) wake the connect waiter and return with
no put; for prev == 1 call rpcrdma_force_disconnect() and return.
The case-1 arm relies on the subsequent RDMA_CM_EVENT_DISCONNECTED
event -- reliably delivered when rdma_disconnect() is called on a
still-connected cm_id -- to balance the ESTABLISHED get;
rpcrdma_xprt_drain() continues to balance only that connect-time
get. Any other prior value means teardown is already in flight.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8887-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8888-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8889-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8887-2 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8888-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8887-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8917-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8918-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9003-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9024-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9025-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9026-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9040-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9043-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9066-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xprtrdma: Fix ep kref imbalance on ADDR_CHANGE rpcrdma_cm_event_handler() falls through to the disconnected: label on RDMA_CM_EVENT_ADDR_CHANGE and calls rpcrdma_ep_put() with no matching get when the event arrives before RDMA_CM_EVENT_ESTABLISHED. The kref then underflows during connect teardown and rpcrdma_xprt_disconnect() operates on a freed ep. Reference counts across a normal connection lifecycle: rpcrdma_ep_create() kref_init ->1 rpcrdma_xprt_connect() ep_get ->2 (before post_recvs) RDMA_CM_EVENT_ESTABLISHED ep_get ->3 RDMA_CM_EVENT_DISCONNECTED ep_put ->2 rpcrdma_xprt_drain() ep_put ->1 rpcrdma_xprt_disconnect() tail ep_put ->0 (ep_destroy) The connect-time get in rpcrdma_xprt_connect(), taken just before rpcrdma_post_recvs() "while there are outstanding Receives," is balanced by rpcrdma_xprt_drain. ADDR_CHANGE before ESTABLISHED has no get to consume, so its put drops the count to 1 and the drain put then frees the ep while rpcrdma_xprt_disconnect() still holds a pointer to it. Fix by dispatching on the prior re_connect_status via xchg(): for prev == 0 (pre-ESTABLISHED) wake the connect waiter and return with no put; for prev == 1 call rpcrdma_force_disconnect() and return. The case-1 arm relies on the subsequent RDMA_CM_EVENT_DISCONNECTED event -- reliably delivered when rdma_disconnect() is called on a still-connected cm_id -- to balance the ESTABLISHED get; rpcrdma_xprt_drain() continues to balance only that connect-time get. Any other prior value means teardown is already in flight.
Title xprtrdma: Fix ep kref imbalance on ADDR_CHANGE
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 21, 2026, 12:44 PM
Reserved
Aug 9, 2026, 3:40 AM
Status
Received
Published
Aug 15, 2026, 6:22 AM
Modified
Oct 21, 2026, 1:19 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Aug 15, 2026, 12:00 AM