CVE-2026-64177

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: phonet/pep: disable BH around forwarded sk_receive_skb() The networking receive path is usually run from softirq context, but protocols that take the socket lock may have packets stored in the backlog and processed later from process context. In that case release_sock() -> __release_sock() drops the slock with spin_unlock_bh() and then calls sk->sk_backlog_rcv() with bottom halves enabled. Typical sk_backlog_rcv handlers process the socket whose backlog is being drained, so the BH state at entry is irrelevant for the slocks they touch. pep_do_rcv() is different: when the inbound skb targets an existing PEP pipe, it forwards the skb to a different *child* socket via sk_receive_skb(). That helper takes the child slock with bh_lock_sock_nested(), which is just spin_lock_nested() and assumes BH is already off. The same child slock therefore ends up acquired with BH on (process path) and with BH off (softirq path): process context softirq context --------------- --------------- release_sock(listener) __netif_receive_skb() __release_sock() phonet_rcv() spin_unlock_bh() __sk_receive_skb(listener) [BH now ENABLED] [BH already disabled] sk_backlog_rcv: sk_backlog_rcv: pep_do_rcv() pep_do_rcv() sk_receive_skb(child) sk_receive_skb(child) bh_lock_sock_nested(child) bh_lock_sock_nested(child) => SOFTIRQ-ON-W => IN-SOFTIRQ-W Lockdep flags this as inconsistent lock state, and it can become a real self-deadlock if a softirq on the same CPU tries to receive to the same child socket while its slock is held in the BH-enabled path: WARNING: inconsistent lock state inconsistent {SOFTIRQ-ON-W} -> {IN-SOFTIRQ-W} usage. (slock-AF_PHONET/1){+.?.}-{3:3}, at: __sk_receive_skb+0x1cf/0x900 __sk_receive_skb net/core/sock.c:563 sk_receive_skb include/net/sock.h:2022 [inline] pep_do_rcv net/phonet/pep.c:675 sk_backlog_rcv include/net/sock.h:1190 __release_sock net/core/sock.c:3216 release_sock net/core/sock.c:3815 pep_sock_accept net/phonet/pep.c:879 Wrap the forwarded sk_receive_skb() in local_bh_disable() / local_bh_enable() so the child slock is always acquired with BH off. local_bh_disable() nests safely on the softirq path. Discovered via in-house syzkaller fuzzing; the same root cause also on the linux-6.1.y syzbot dashboard as extid 44f0626dd6284f02663c. Reproduced under KASAN + LOCKDEP + PROVE_LOCKING, reproducer: https://pastebin.com/A3t8xzCR

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-07-19
Last modified 2026-07-19
Patch available
Yes

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 2.6.28 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.142, 6.12.92, 6.18.34, 7.0.11, 7.1 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 2.6.28
Fixed in
✓ 5.10.258 5.10.x ✓ 5.15.209 5.15.x ✓ 6.1.175 6.1.x ✓ 6.6.142 6.6.x ✓ 6.12.92 6.12.x ✓ 6.18.34 6.18.x ✓ 7.0.11 7.0.x ✓ 7.1

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-64177?

    CVE-2026-64177 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 2.6.28 onward and has been patched in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175 and others. CVE-2026-64177 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-64177?

    Yes — CVE-2026-64177 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 2.6.28 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-64177 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2026-64177 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.