CVE-2026-23216
Description
A use-after-free flaw was found in the Linux kernel's iSCSI target subsystem. In the iscsit_dec_conn_usage_count() function, complete() is called while still holding the conn->conn_usage_lock spinlock. The waiting thread (such as iscsit_close_connection()) may wake up immediately and free the iscsit_conn structure before the current thread executes spin_unlock_bh(), resulting in a use-after-free when attempting to release the lock on already-freed memory.
Statement
This vulnerability requires the iSCSI target subsystem to be configured and in use, which limits the attack surface to systems actively serving as iSCSI targets. The race condition is timing-dependent and requires specific connection teardown sequences to trigger. Successful exploitation could lead to kernel crash or potentially memory corruption.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the iscsi_target_mod module from being loaded. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions on how to blacklist kernel modules.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | Local | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | Low | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | Low | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | None | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | N/A |
| Confidentiality | High | High | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | High | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | High | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Availability
Technical Impact: Modify Application Data; DoS: Instability; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
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