CVE-2026-23193
Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Linux Kernel iSCSI Target Session Management
Publication date: 2026-02-14
Last updated on: 2026-04-03
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.16 (inc) to 6.1.163 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.7 (inc) to 6.12.70 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.2 (inc) to 6.6.124 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.13 (inc) to 6.18.10 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.11 (inc) to 5.15.200 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 3.1 (inc) to 5.10.250 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-416 | The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability is a use-after-free issue in the Linux kernel's iSCSI target code, specifically in the function iscsit_dec_session_usage_count().
The problem occurs because the function calls complete() while still holding a lock (sess->session_usage_lock). The complete() call can wake up a waiter thread that may immediately free the session structure.
As a result, the current thread might try to unlock a spinlock on a session structure that has already been deallocated, causing a kernel address sanitizer (KASAN) slab-use-after-free error.
The fix involves releasing the session_usage_lock before calling complete() to ensure the session structure is not accessed after it has been freed.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can lead to a use-after-free condition in the Linux kernel, which may cause system instability, crashes, or potential kernel memory corruption.
Exploitation of this issue could allow an attacker with the ability to trigger the iSCSI target code to cause denial of service or potentially execute arbitrary code within the kernel context.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The vulnerability is fixed by updating the Linux kernel to a version where the iscsit_dec_session_usage_count() function releases the session_usage_lock before calling complete().
Therefore, the immediate mitigation step is to apply the latest kernel patches or upgrade to a kernel version that includes this fix.