CoreCVE
Back

HIGH

ice: fix double-free of tx_buf skb

Published Jun 24, 2026

Description

If ice_tso() or ice_tx_csum() fail, the error path in ice_xmit_frame_ring() frees the skb, but the 'first' tx_buf still points to it and is marked as valid (ICE_TX_BUF_SKB). 'next_to_use' remains unchanged, so the potential problem will likely fix itself when the next packet is transmitted and the tx_buf gets overwritten. But if there is no next packet and the interface is brought down instead, ice_clean_tx_ring() -> ice_unmap_and_free_tx_buf() will find the tx_buf and free the skb for the second time.

The fix is to reset the tx_buf type to ICE_TX_BUF_EMPTY in the error path, so that ice_unmap_and_free_tx_buf(). Move the initialization of 'first' up, to ensure it's already valid in case we hit the linearization error path.

The bug was spotted by AI while I had it looking for something else. It also proposed an initial version of the patch.

I reproduced the bug and tested the fix by adding code to inject failures, on a build with KASAN.

I looked for similar bugs in related Intel drivers and did not find any.

Affected products

Remediation

Red Hat statement

A double free can occur in the Intel ice TX path when ice_xmit_frame_ring() stores an skb in the first tx_buf and marks it as ICE_TX_BUF_SKB, then an ice_tso() or ice_tx_csum() failure drops and frees the skb while the tx_buf still points to it. If no later packet overwrites that descriptor before the interface or TX ring is cleaned, ice_clean_tx_ring() can free the same skb again. For the CVSS the PR:L because a local user or process that can transmit traffic through an affected ice interface may reach the TX path, although reliable triggering also depends on forcing an offload error and a later cleanup window.

Red Hat mitigation

To mitigate this issue, prevent module ice from being loaded. Please see https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for how to blacklist a kernel module to prevent it from loading automatically.

Weaknesses (2)

CWE-415

CWE-416

Use After Free

References (14)

Change history (0)

No recorded changes yet.

Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner Linux
Published Jun 24, 2026
Updated Sep 9, 2026
Reserved Jun 9, 2026
Link CVE-2026-53009
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated n/a
NVD
Status Modified
Modified Sep 9, 2026
Link CVE-2026-53009
Red Hat
Severity Moderate
Public date Jun 24, 2026
Links CVE-2026-53009 - Bugzilla
ENISA EUVD
Assigner Linux
Published Jun 24, 2026
Updated Sep 9, 2026
Exploited since n/a
Link EUVD-2026-38877
EUVD-2026-38877