CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-68122

Low risk· EPSS 7%
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.17%

7th percentile - higher than 7% of all known CVEs

Summary

In the Linux kernel ovpn module, in TCP error paths, a peer reference leak can occur when schedule_work() returns false. The fix checks the return value and drops the extra reference.

Risk Assessment

Reference leak can lead to memory exhaustion and system crash, especially with frequent TCP errors.

Recommendation

Apply the Linux kernel update with the fix for CVE-2026-68122. Monitor memory usage and VPN connection stability.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

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Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovpn: fix peer refcount leak in TCP error paths When either the TCP RX or TX error path calls ovpn_peer_hold() followed by schedule_work(&peer->tcp.defer_del_work), and the work item is already pending from the other path, schedule_work() returns false and the work runs only once. Since ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work() calls ovpn_peer_put() exactly once, the extra reference taken by the losing path is never dropped, leaking the peer object. The race window: CPU0 (strparser/RX error): CPU1 (tcp_tx_work/TX error): ovpn_peer_hold() <- refcnt+1 ovpn_peer_hold() <- refcnt+2 schedule_work() <- queued schedule_work() <- NO-OP (work already pending) ovpn_tcp_peer_del_work runs: ovpn_peer_del() ovpn_peer_put() <- refcnt+1 <- peer never freed Fix by checking the return value of schedule_work() in both paths and calling ovpn_peer_put() to drop the extra reference if the work was already pending. ovpn_peer_hold() is kept unconditional in the TX path as it cannot fail at that point.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS