CVE-2026-74586

What is known

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: clear new_transport when removing a peer sctp_process_asconf_param() stores a newly added peer transport in asoc->new_transport. After all parameters in the ASCONF chunk have been processed, sctp_sf_do_asconf() uses this pointer to send a HEARTBEAT to the new transport. An authenticated ASCONF from a remote SCTP peer can add a transport and remove it again with a wildcard DEL-IP parameter in the same chunk. The wildcard deletion preserves the transport on which the ASCONF arrived, but removes the newly added transport through sctp_assoc_del_nonprimary_peers(). The removal does not clear asoc->new_transport, leaving it pointing to the removed transport. sctp_sf_do_asconf() then creates a HEARTBEAT whose chunk->transport points to the removed transport without holding a transport reference. During local address replacement, src_out_of_asoc_ok keeps this HEARTBEAT on control_chunk_list. After the transport is freed by RCU, a successful ASCONF_ACK for the replacement address releases the queued HEARTBEAT and sctp_outq_select_transport() reads the freed transport's state. The issue was found during a static audit of SCTP objects. With an authenticated peer, the reproducer triggered the same KASAN report in 2 of 2 unpatched runs on a KASAN-enabled netdev/main kernel: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in sctp_outq_select_transport Read of size 4 at addr ffff88800b9bd95c by task python3/197 Call Trace: sctp_outq_select_transport+0x549/0x8b0 [sctp] sctp_outq_flush+0x306/0x2c60 [sctp] sctp_transport_immediate_rtx+0xaf/0x260 [sctp] sctp_process_asconf_ack+0xa48/0xf70 [sctp] Allocated by task 197: sctp_transport_new+0x68/0x650 [sctp] sctp_assoc_add_peer+0x258/0x12a0 [sctp] sctp_process_asconf+0x5e9/0x1090 [sctp] Last potentially related work creation: __call_rcu_common.constprop.0+0x77/0xb70 sctp_assoc_del_nonprimary_peers+0x7c/0xd0 [sctp] sctp_process_asconf+0xd9c/0x1090 [sctp] The first invalid access was a four-byte read of transport->state at net/sctp/outqueue.c:833. The same reproducer completed the full authenticated ASCONF and local-address replacement sequence with this change without a KASAN report or oops. Clear new_transport when its peer is removed, before it can be used to create the HEARTBEAT.

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-74586, a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) affecting the affected product, may affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the vulnerable environment. The exact impact depends on the installed version, exposed interfaces and deployment configuration.

Recommended administrator action

Confirm whether the affected product is present and compare installed versions with the vendor advisory and NVD record. Apply the vendor patch or documented mitigation; until remediation is complete, reduce exposure of affected interfaces, review relevant logs and monitor for indicators of exploitation. DataHouse can support version verification, managed patching, network exposure reduction, log review and backup validation for dedicated, cloud and colocated environments.

Sources

• NVD
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