CVE-2026-72383: sctp: fix addr_wq_timer race in sctp_free_addr_wq()

Severity: high (CVSS 7.8 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-08-15 · updated 2026-10-30

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: fix addr_wq_timer race in sctp_free_addr_wq() sctp_free_addr_wq() previously removed addr_wq_timer using timer_delete() while holding addr_wq_lock. However, timer_delete() does not guarantee that a currently running timer handler has completed. This allows a race with sctp_addr_wq_timeout_handler(), where the handler may still run after addr_waitq has been freed, acquire addr_wq_lock, and access freed memory, leading to a use-after-free. Fix this by calling timer_shutdown_sync() before taking addr_wq_lock. This guarantees that any in-flight timer handler has finished and prevents the timer from being re-armed during teardown, making subsequent cleanup safe.

Affected products

Linux: 3.7 — fixed in 7.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux 7.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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