Bug 2516337 (CVE-2026-72070)

Summary: CVE-2026-72070 kernel: wifi: libertas_tf: fix use-after-free in lbtf_free_adapter()
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
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Priority: medium    
Version: unspecifiedCC: rhel-process-autobot, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
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Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's `libertas_tf` Wi-Fi driver. This vulnerability is a use-after-free, meaning the system attempts to access memory after it has been released. This occurs when the `lbtf_free_adapter()` function, responsible for freeing adapter resources, does not properly synchronize with a timer callback during device removal. An attacker could potentially exploit this timing issue to cause system instability, leading to a denial of service, or in some cases, execute unauthorized code.
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-08-15 06:07:14 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

wifi: libertas_tf: fix use-after-free in lbtf_free_adapter()

lbtf_free_adapter() calls timer_delete(&priv->command_timer), which does
not wait for a running command_timer_fn() callback. lbtf_free_adapter()
runs on the teardown path right before ieee80211_free_hw() frees priv,
both in lbtf_remove_card() and in the probe error path. command_timer is
armed by mod_timer() in lbtf_cmd() whenever a firmware command is sent.
command_timer_fn() dereferences priv. If a command times out as the
device is removed, command_timer_fn() runs concurrently with teardown and
dereferences priv after it has been freed.

This is the same use-after-free that commit 03cc8f90d053 ("wifi: libertas:
fix use-after-free in lbs_free_adapter()") fixed in the sibling libertas
driver. The libertas_tf variant has the identical pattern and was left
unchanged. Use timer_delete_sync() so any in-flight callback completes
before priv is freed.