In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
usb: gadget: f_ncm: align net_device lifecycle with bind/unbind
Currently, the net_device is allocated in ncm_alloc_inst() and freed in
ncm_free_inst(). This ties the network interface's lifetime to the
configuration instance rather than the USB connection (bind/unbind).
This decoupling causes issues when the USB gadget is disconnected where
the underlying gadget device is removed. The net_device can outlive its
parent, leading to dangling sysfs links and NULL pointer dereferences
when accessing the freed gadget device.
Problem 1: NULL pointer dereference on disconnect
Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address
0000000000000000
Call trace:
__pi_strlen+0x14/0x150
rtnl_fill_ifinfo+0x6b4/0x708
rtmsg_ifinfo_build_skb+0xd8/0x13c
rtmsg_ifinfo+0x50/0xa0
__dev_notify_flags+0x4c/0x1f0
dev_change_flags+0x54/0x70
do_setlink+0x390/0xebc
rtnl_newlink+0x7d0/0xac8
rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x27c/0x410
netlink_rcv_skb+0x134/0x150
rtnetlink_rcv+0x18/0x28
netlink_unicast+0x254/0x3f0
netlink_sendmsg+0x2e0/0x3d4
Problem 2: Dangling sysfs symlinks
console:/ # ls -l /sys/class/net/ncm0
lrwxrwxrwx ... /sys/class/net/ncm0 ->
/sys/devices/platform/.../gadget.0/net/ncm0
console:/ # ls -l /sys/devices/platform/.../gadget.0/net/ncm0
ls: .../gadget.0/net/ncm0: No such file or directory
Move the net_device allocation to ncm_bind() and deallocation to
ncm_unbind(). This ensures the network interface exists only when the
gadget function is actually bound to a configuration.
To support pre-bind configuration (e.g., setting interface name or MAC
address via configfs), cache user-provided options in f_ncm_opts
using the gether_opts structure. Apply these cached settings to the
net_device upon creation in ncm_bind().
Preserve the use-after-free fix from commit 6334b8e4553c ("usb: gadget:
f_ncm: Fix UAF ncm object at re-bind after usb ep transport error").
Check opts->net in ncm_set_alt() and ncm_disable() to ensure
gether_disconnect() runs only if a connection was established.
usb: gadget: f_ncm: align net_device lifecycle with bind/unbind
Currently, the net_device is allocated in ncm_alloc_inst() and freed in
ncm_free_inst(). This ties the network interface's lifetime to the
configuration instance rather than the USB connection (bind/unbind).
This decoupling causes issues when the USB gadget is disconnected where
the underlying gadget device is removed. The net_device can outlive its
parent, leading to dangling sysfs links and NULL pointer dereferences
when accessing the freed gadget device.
Problem 1: NULL pointer dereference on disconnect
Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address
0000000000000000
Call trace:
__pi_strlen+0x14/0x150
rtnl_fill_ifinfo+0x6b4/0x708
rtmsg_ifinfo_build_skb+0xd8/0x13c
rtmsg_ifinfo+0x50/0xa0
__dev_notify_flags+0x4c/0x1f0
dev_change_flags+0x54/0x70
do_setlink+0x390/0xebc
rtnl_newlink+0x7d0/0xac8
rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x27c/0x410
netlink_rcv_skb+0x134/0x150
rtnetlink_rcv+0x18/0x28
netlink_unicast+0x254/0x3f0
netlink_sendmsg+0x2e0/0x3d4
Problem 2: Dangling sysfs symlinks
console:/ # ls -l /sys/class/net/ncm0
lrwxrwxrwx ... /sys/class/net/ncm0 ->
/sys/devices/platform/.../gadget.0/net/ncm0
console:/ # ls -l /sys/devices/platform/.../gadget.0/net/ncm0
ls: .../gadget.0/net/ncm0: No such file or directory
Move the net_device allocation to ncm_bind() and deallocation to
ncm_unbind(). This ensures the network interface exists only when the
gadget function is actually bound to a configuration.
To support pre-bind configuration (e.g., setting interface name or MAC
address via configfs), cache user-provided options in f_ncm_opts
using the gether_opts structure. Apply these cached settings to the
net_device upon creation in ncm_bind().
Preserve the use-after-free fix from commit 6334b8e4553c ("usb: gadget:
f_ncm: Fix UAF ncm object at re-bind after usb ep transport error").
Check opts->net in ncm_set_alt() and ncm_disable() to ensure
gether_disconnect() runs only if a connection was established.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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Fixes
Solution
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Workaround
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References
History
Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: gadget: f_ncm: align net_device lifecycle with bind/unbind Currently, the net_device is allocated in ncm_alloc_inst() and freed in ncm_free_inst(). This ties the network interface's lifetime to the configuration instance rather than the USB connection (bind/unbind). This decoupling causes issues when the USB gadget is disconnected where the underlying gadget device is removed. The net_device can outlive its parent, leading to dangling sysfs links and NULL pointer dereferences when accessing the freed gadget device. Problem 1: NULL pointer dereference on disconnect Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 Call trace: __pi_strlen+0x14/0x150 rtnl_fill_ifinfo+0x6b4/0x708 rtmsg_ifinfo_build_skb+0xd8/0x13c rtmsg_ifinfo+0x50/0xa0 __dev_notify_flags+0x4c/0x1f0 dev_change_flags+0x54/0x70 do_setlink+0x390/0xebc rtnl_newlink+0x7d0/0xac8 rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x27c/0x410 netlink_rcv_skb+0x134/0x150 rtnetlink_rcv+0x18/0x28 netlink_unicast+0x254/0x3f0 netlink_sendmsg+0x2e0/0x3d4 Problem 2: Dangling sysfs symlinks console:/ # ls -l /sys/class/net/ncm0 lrwxrwxrwx ... /sys/class/net/ncm0 -> /sys/devices/platform/.../gadget.0/net/ncm0 console:/ # ls -l /sys/devices/platform/.../gadget.0/net/ncm0 ls: .../gadget.0/net/ncm0: No such file or directory Move the net_device allocation to ncm_bind() and deallocation to ncm_unbind(). This ensures the network interface exists only when the gadget function is actually bound to a configuration. To support pre-bind configuration (e.g., setting interface name or MAC address via configfs), cache user-provided options in f_ncm_opts using the gether_opts structure. Apply these cached settings to the net_device upon creation in ncm_bind(). Preserve the use-after-free fix from commit 6334b8e4553c ("usb: gadget: f_ncm: Fix UAF ncm object at re-bind after usb ep transport error"). Check opts->net in ncm_set_alt() and ncm_disable() to ensure gether_disconnect() runs only if a connection was established. | |
| Title | usb: gadget: f_ncm: align net_device lifecycle with bind/unbind | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-03-25T10:27:14.398Z
Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:37:45.995Z
Link: CVE-2026-23320
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Awaiting Analysis
Published: 2026-03-25T11:16:28.747
Modified: 2026-03-25T15:41:33.977
Link: CVE-2026-23320
Redhat
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OpenCVE Enrichment
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Weaknesses
No weakness.