{"id":"CVE-2026-10653","summary":"Non-atomic `net_buf` reference counts cause double-free / free-list corruption under concurrent unref","details":"The Zephyr net_buf library (lib/net_buf/buf.c) manipulated both of its reference counts -- the per-header buf-\u003eref and the per-data-block ref_count at the start of each variable/heap data allocation -- with plain non-atomic C operators (buf-\u003eref++, if (--buf-\u003eref \u003e 0), if (--(*ref_count))).\n\nThe API is documented as self-synchronizing: callers may share one buffer across threads (e.g. via k_fifo) and each holder independently calls net_buf_unref() with no surrounding lock. Under true concurrency (SMP, or single-core preemption between the non-atomic load and store while another context unrefs the same buffer), two holders can both observe the same prior reference value and both conclude they are the last reference.\n\nFor heap/variable-data pools (mem_pool_data_unref/heap_data_unref, used by zbus message subscribers, the IP stack RX/TX buffers when CONFIG_NET_BUF_FIXED_DATA_SIZE=n, capture, wireguard, ISO-TP and usbip) this produces a double k_heap_free()/k_free() of the same block -- heap-metadata corruption and a use-after-free on the heap-hardening poison pattern.\n\nFor the per-header refcount the buffer is returned to the pool free LIFO twice for any pool type (including fixed-data pools used by Bluetooth and networking), corrupting the free list so a later allocation hands the same buffer to two owners.\n\nThe fix converts both refcounts to atomic_inc/atomic_dec (overlaying buf-\u003eref in an atomic_t-sized union and changing the data-block refcount from uint8_t to atomic_t).\n\nImpact is gated on genuine concurrency and on an application architecture that shares one buffer among multiple independent unref'ers; the trigger is a refcount/timing race rather than packet content, so an external attacker has at most weak indirect influence over the race window. Affects all Zephyr releases through v4.4.0.","aliases":["GHSA-284j-5jm9-55hh"],"modified":"2026-07-16T03:31:17.475551668Z","published":"2026-06-30T16:20:16.798Z","database_specific":{"cwe_ids":["CWE-415"],"osv_generated_from":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/10xxx/CVE-2026-10653.json","unresolved_ranges":[{"source":"AFFECTED_FIELD","extracted_events":[{"introduced":"2.7.0"},{"fixed":"4.5.0"}]}],"cna_assigner":"zephyr"},"references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/10xxx/CVE-2026-10653.json"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-284j-5jm9-55hh"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-10653"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/commit/9bb2878319d5f46c29ab5fe855a378d87cd75fc3"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr"}],"affected":[{"ranges":[{"type":"GIT","repo":"https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"684c9e8f32e4373a21098559f748f06915f950c9"}],"database_specific":{"extracted_events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"v4.4.0"}],"source":"DESCRIPTION"}}],"versions":["v4.4.0-rc3","v4.4.0-rc2","v4.4.0-rc1","v4.3.0","v4.3.0-rc3","v4.3.0-rc2","v4.3.0-rc1","v4.2.0","v4.2.0-rc3","v4.2.0-rc2","v4.2.0-rc1","v4.1.0","v4.1.0-rc3","v4.1.0-rc2","v4.1.0-rc1","v4.0.0","v4.0.0-rc3","v4.0.0-rc2","v4.0.0-rc1","v3.7.0","v3.7.0-rc3","v3.7.0-rc2","v3.7.0-rc1","v3.6.0","v3.6.0-rc3","v3.6.0-rc2","v3.6.0-rc1","zephyr-v3.5.0","v3.5.0","v3.5.0-rc3","v3.5.0-rc2","v3.5.0-rc1","zephyr-v3.4.0","v3.4.0","v3.4.0-rc3","v3.4.0-rc2","v3.4.0-rc1","zephyr-v3.3.0","v3.3.0","v3.3.0-rc3","v3.3.0-rc2","v3.3.0-rc1","zephyr-v3.2.0","v3.2.0","v3.2.0-rc3","v3.2.0-rc2","v3.2.0-rc1","zephyr-v3.1.0","v3.1.0","v3.1.0-rc3","v3.1.0-rc2","v3.1.0-rc1","zephyr-v3.0.0","v3.0.0","v3.0.0-rc3","v3.0.0-rc2","v3.0.0-rc1","v2.7.99","v2.7.0-rc3","v2.7.0-rc2","v2.7.0-rc1","zephyr-v2.6.0","v2.6.0","v2.6.0-rc3","v2.6.0-rc2","v2.6.0-rc1","zephyr-v2.5.0","v2.5.0","v2.5.0-rc4","v2.5.0-rc3","v2.5.0-rc2","v2.5.0-rc1","zephyr-v2.4.0","v2.4.0","v2.4.0-rc3","v2.4.0-rc2","v2.4.0-rc1","zephyr-v2.3.0","v2.3.0","v2.3.0-rc2","v2.3.0-rc1","zephyr-v2.1.0","v2.1.0","zephyr-v2.2.0","v2.2.0","v2.2.0-rc3","v2.2.0-rc2","v2.2.0-rc1","v2.1.0-rc3","v2.1.0-rc2","v2.1.0-rc1","zephyr-v2.0.0","v2.0.0","v2.0.0-rc3","v2.0.0-rc2","v2.0.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.14.0","v1.14.0","v1.14.0-rc3","v1.14.0-rc2","v1.14.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.13.0","v1.13.0","v1.13.0-rc3","v1.13.0-rc2","v1.13.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.12.0","v1.12.0","v1.12.0-rc3","v1.12.0-rc2","v1.12.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.11.0","v1.11.0","v1.11.0-rc3","v1.11.0-rc2","v1.11.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.10.0","v1.10.0","v1.10.0-rc3","v1.10.0-rc2","v1.10.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.9.0","v1.9.0","v1.9.0-rc4","v1.9.0-rc3","v1.9.0-rc2","v1.9.0-rc1","v1.8.99","zephyr-v1.5.0","v1.5.0","v1.7.99","v1.6.99","v1.5.0-rc4","v1.5.0-rc3","v1.5.0-rc2","v1.5.0-rc1","v1.5.0-rc0","zephyr-v1.4.0","v1.4.0","v1.4.0-rc3","v1.4.0-rc2","v1.4.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.3.0","v1.3.0","v1.3.0-rc2","v1.3.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.2.0","v1.2.0","v1.2.0-rc2","v1.2.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.1.0","v1.1.0","v1.1.0-rc1","zephyr-v1.0.0","v1.0.0"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://storage.googleapis.com/cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2026-10653.json"}}],"schema_version":"1.7.5","severity":[{"type":"CVSS_V3","score":"CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H"}]}