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High · 7.8 CVE-2026-63803 EUVD-2026-45469GHSA-3hpx-wjcg-9r3x

hdlc_ppp: sync per-proto timers before freeing hdlc state

Published Jul 19, 2026 · Updated Oct 19, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

Vendor: Linux Product: Linux Package: linux Package: linux Package: linux-allwinner-5.19 Package: linux-aws Package: linux-aws-5.0 Package: linux-aws-5.11 Package: linux-aws-5.13 Package: linux-aws-5.15 Package: linux-aws-5.19 Package: linux-aws-5.3 Package: linux-aws-5.4 Package: linux-aws-5.8 Package: linux-aws-6.14 Package: linux-aws-6.17 Package: linux-aws-6.2 Package: linux-aws-6.5 Package: linux-aws-6.8 Package: linux-aws-7.0 Package: linux-aws-fips Package: linux-aws-hwe Package: linux-azure Package: linux-azure-4.15 Package: linux-azure-5.11 Package: linux-azure-5.13 Package: linux-azure-5.15 Package: linux-azure-5.19 Package: linux-azure-5.3 Package: linux-azure-5.4 Package: linux-azure-5.8 Package: linux-azure-6.11 Package: linux-azure-6.14 Package: linux-azure-6.17 Package: linux-azure-6.2 Package: linux-azure-6.5 Package: linux-azure-6.8 Package: linux-azure-7.0 Package: linux-azure-edge Package: linux-azure-fde Package: linux-azure-fde-5.15 Package: linux-azure-fde-5.19 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.14 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.17 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.2 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.8 Package: linux-azure-fde-7.0 Package: linux-azure-fips Package: linux-azure-nvidia Package: linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 Package: linux-bluefield Package: linux-fips Package: linux-gcp Package: linux-gcp-4.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.11 Package: linux-gcp-5.13 Package: linux-gcp-5.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.19 Package: linux-gcp-5.3 Package: linux-gcp-5.4 Package: linux-gcp-5.8 Package: linux-gcp-6.11 Package: linux-gcp-6.14 Package: linux-gcp-6.17 Package: linux-gcp-6.2 Package: linux-gcp-6.5 Package: linux-gcp-6.8 Package: linux-gcp-7.0 Package: linux-gcp-fips Package: linux-gke Package: linux-gke-4.15 Package: linux-gke-5.15 Package: linux-gke-5.4 Package: linux-gkeop Package: linux-gkeop-5.15 Package: linux-gkeop-5.4 Package: linux-hwe Package: linux-hwe-5.11 Package: linux-hwe-5.13 Package: linux-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-hwe-5.4 Package: linux-hwe-5.8 Package: linux-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-hwe-6.14 Package: linux-hwe-6.17 Package: linux-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-hwe-7.0 Package: linux-hwe-edge Package: linux-ibm Package: linux-ibm-5.15 Package: linux-ibm-5.4 Package: linux-ibm-6.8 Package: linux-intel-5.13 Package: linux-intel-iot-realtime Package: linux-intel-iotg Package: linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Package: linux-iot Package: linux-kvm Package: linux-lowlatency Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-lts-xenial Package: linux-nvidia Package: linux-nvidia-6.11 Package: linux-nvidia-6.17 Package: linux-nvidia-6.2 Package: linux-nvidia-6.5 Package: linux-nvidia-6.8 Package: linux-nvidia-7.0 Package: linux-nvidia-bos Package: linux-nvidia-lowlatency Package: linux-nvidia-tegra Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Package: linux-oem Package: linux-oem-5.10 Package: linux-oem-5.13 Package: linux-oem-5.14 Package: linux-oem-5.17 Package: linux-oem-5.6 Package: linux-oem-6.0 Package: linux-oem-6.1 Package: linux-oem-6.11 Package: linux-oem-6.14 Package: linux-oem-6.17 Package: linux-oem-6.5 Package: linux-oem-6.8 Package: linux-oem-7.0 Package: linux-oracle Package: linux-oracle-5.0 Package: linux-oracle-5.11 Package: linux-oracle-5.13 Package: linux-oracle-5.15 Package: linux-oracle-5.3 Package: linux-oracle-5.4 Package: linux-oracle-5.8 Package: linux-oracle-6.14 Package: linux-oracle-6.17 Package: linux-oracle-6.5 Package: linux-oracle-6.8 Package: linux-oracle-7.0 Package: linux-raspi Package: linux-raspi-5.4 Package: linux-raspi-realtime Package: linux-raspi2 Package: linux-realtime Package: linux-realtime-6.14 Package: linux-realtime-6.17 Package: linux-realtime-6.8 Package: linux-riscv Package: linux-riscv-5.11 Package: linux-riscv-5.15 Package: linux-riscv-5.19 Package: linux-riscv-5.8 Package: linux-riscv-6.14 Package: linux-riscv-6.17 Package: linux-riscv-6.5 Package: linux-riscv-6.8 Package: linux-riscv-7.0 Package: linux-starfive-5.19 Package: linux-starfive-6.2 Package: linux-starfive-6.5 Package: linux-vmware Package: linux-xilinx Package: linux-xilinx-zynqmp Platform: Linux Ecosystem: Debian Ecosystem: Ubuntu

Description

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

hdlc_ppp: sync per-proto timers before freeing hdlc state

Each PPP control protocol (LCP/IPCP/IPV6CP) embedded in struct ppp
registers a timer via timer_setup(). That struct ppp is the
hdlc->state allocation, which detach_hdlc_protocol() frees with kfree()
in both teardown paths: unregister_hdlc_device() and the re-attach inside
attach_hdlc_protocol().

The ppp proto never registered a .detach callback, so
detach_hdlc_protocol() performs no timer synchronization before the
kfree(). The only cancel, timer_delete(&proto->timer) in ppp_cp_event(),
is partial (it does not wait for a running callback) and only runs on the
->CLOSED transition; ppp_stop()/ppp_close() do not sync either. A
ppp_timer callback already executing (blocked on ppp->lock) survives the
kfree and then dereferences proto->state / ppp->lock in freed memory,
leading to a use-after-free.

Fix this by adding a .detach helper that calls timer_shutdown_sync() on
every per-proto timer. detach_hdlc_protocol() invokes proto->detach(dev)
before kfree(hdlc->state), so timer_shutdown_sync()
now runs on both free paths.
timer_shutdown_sync() is used instead of timer_delete_sync() because the
keepalive path re-arms the timer through add_timer()/mod_timer() and
shutdown blocks any re-activation during teardown.

Initialize the per-protocol timers in ppp_ioctl() when the protocol is
attached, and remove the now-redundant timer_setup() from ppp_start(), so
that the timers are initialized exactly once at attach time and
ppp_timer_release() never operates on uninitialized timer_list
structures. attach_hdlc_protocol() uses kmalloc() (not kzalloc), so
struct ppp's protos[i].timer is uninitialized garbage until the first
timer_setup(); without this init-at-attach, attaching the PPP protocol
without ever bringing the device up would leave timer_shutdown_sync()
operating on uninitialized memory in .detach. Moving the init out of
ppp_start() (which only runs on NETDEV_UP) into the attach path makes the
initialization unconditional and avoids initializing the same timer_list
twice.

This bug was found by static analysis.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Linux Linux 2.6.12 5.10.261

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 14 linux 7.1.3-1 —
Debian 13 linux 6.12.95-1 —
Debian 12 linux 6.1.177-1 —
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS linux-bluefield 6.8.0-1033.38 —
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS linux-bluefield 5.15.0-1101.103 —
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux 7.0.0-31.31 USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-aws 7.0.0-1012.12 USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-azure 7.0.0-1014.14 USN-8726-4
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-gcp +1 7.0.0-1011.11 USN-8726-4, USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-gke 7.0.0-1006.7 USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-ibm +2 7.0.0-1013.13 USN-8727-1, USN-8726-3
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-nvidia 7.0.0-1018.18 USN-8760-2
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-nvidia-bos 7.0.0-2018.18 USN-8800-1
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-raspi 7.0.0-1019.19 USN-8726-2
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS linux-riscv +1 7.0.0-31.31.1 USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux 6.8.0-147.147 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-aws +1 6.8.0-1067.70 USN-9024-1, USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-aws-7.0 7.0.0-1012.12~24.04.1 USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-7.0 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 USN-8728-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 6.8.0-1069.76 USN-8918-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-7.0 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gcp +1 6.8.0-1071.79 USN-8918-1, USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gcp-7.0 +1 7.0.0-1011.11~24.04.1 USN-8728-3, USN-8728-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gke 6.8.0-1066.74 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gkeop 6.8.0-1052.56 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-hwe-7.0 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1 USN-8726-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-ibm 6.8.0-1067.68 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-lowlatency 6.8.0-147.147.1 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-7.0 7.0.0-1018.18~24.04.1 USN-8760-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 6.8.0-1067.70.1 USN-9040-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 6.8.0-1036.39 USN-8886-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oracle 6.8.0-1064.67 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-raspi 6.8.0-1068.72 USN-9025-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-riscv +29 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-riscv-7.0 7.0.0-31.31.1~24.04.1 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-vmware 6.8.0-1008.8 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux 5.15.0-198.208 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws 5.15.0-1117.124 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws-6.8 6.8.0-1069.74~22.04.1 USN-9024-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure 5.15.0-1123.132 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-6.8 6.8.0-1073.82~22.04.1 USN-9026-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 5.15.0-1122.131 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-6.8 6.8.0-1071.78~22.04.1 USN-9026-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp 5.15.0-1118.128 USN-8877-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-6.8 6.8.0-1073.81~22.04.1 USN-9024-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gke 5.15.0-1113.119 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gkeop 5.15.0-1100.108 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-hwe-6.8 6.8.0-149.149~22.04.1 USN-9066-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm 5.15.0-1111.115 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm-6.8 6.8.0-1069.70~22.04.1 USN-9024-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg 5.15.0-1112.118 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-kvm 5.15.0-1109.114 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-lowlatency 5.15.0-195.205 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 6.8.0-149.149.1~22.04.1 USN-9024-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia 5.15.0-1112.113 USN-8875-2
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 5.15.0-1070.72 USN-8963-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-igx 5.15.0-1059.59 USN-8963-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle 5.15.0-1114.120 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle-6.8 6.8.0-1067.71~22.04.1 USN-9025-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-raspi 5.15.0-1113.116 USN-9029-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-riscv +33 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 5.15.0-1080.84 USN-8875-1
Show 18 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-gke +28 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS linux-gcp +14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS linux-hwe-edge No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-raspi-realtime 6.8.0-2056.58 USN-9025-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime 6.8.1-1062.63 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.14 +1 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 5.15.0-1109.111 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime 5.15.0-1116.125 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.8 6.8.1-1064.65~22.04.1 USN-9024-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 18.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 16.04 LTS linux-fips No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 6.8.0-1067.70+fips1 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-fips 6.8.0-147.147+fips1 USN-8917-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips +1 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1 USN-8918-1, USN-8917-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 5.15.0-1117.124+fips1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fips 5.15.0-1123.132+fips1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-fips 5.15.0-198.208+fips1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips 5.15.0-1118.128+fips1 USN-8877-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS linux-fips No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux +10 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-aws-5.15 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-azure-5.15 5.15.0-1123.132~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-5.15 5.15.0-1122.131~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-gcp-5.15 5.15.0-1118.128~20.04.1 USN-8878-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-hwe-5.15 5.15.0-198.208~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-ibm-5.15 +1 5.15.0-1111.115~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 5.15.0-1112.118~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 5.15.0-195.205~20.04.1 USN-8875-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 5.15.0-1070.72~20.04.1 USN-8963-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-oracle-5.15 5.15.0-1114.120~20.04.1 USN-8879-1
Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS linux +12 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS linux +7 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS linux +3 No fix yet —
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
SLES for SAP 16.0 kernel-64kb +8 6.12.0-160000.38.1 SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1
SLES for SAP 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.38.1.160000.2.23 SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1
SLES 16.0 kernel-64kb +8 6.12.0-160000.38.1 SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1, SUSE-SU-2026:23897-1
SLES 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.38.1.160000.2.23 SUSE-SU-2026:23902-1
SLE Micro 6.2 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.38.1.160000.2.23 SUSE-SU-2026:23887-1
SLE Micro 6.2 kernel-rt +5 6.12.0-160000.38.1 SUSE-SU-2026:23887-1, SUSE-SU-2026:23881-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
openSUSE Tumbleweed kernel-source 7.1.4-1.1 openSUSE-SU-2026:11339-1
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.38.1.160000.2.22 openSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-rt +11 6.12.0-160000.38.1 openSUSE-SU-2026:21910-1

Oracle Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Oracle Linux 9 kernel-uek +34 6.12.0-206.104.3.3.el10uek ELSA-2026-500248

Advisories 34

References