CVE-2026-10637
MEDIUM 5.9subsys/net/ip/ipv6_mld.c:mld_send() read the packet interface via net_pkt_iface(pkt) after net_send_data(pkt) returned successfully. Per the network stack's ownership contract (include/zephyr/net/net_core.h, and the explicit warning in subsys/net/ip/net_core.c:453-460 'do not use pkt after that call'), a successful send transfers ownership of the net_pkt and the L2 driver frees it (e.g. ethernet_send() unrefs the packet on success, subsys/net/l2/ethernet/ethernet.c:790), returning it to its k_mem_slab. The subsequent net_pkt_iface(pkt) is therefore a read of a freed object; the recovered interface pointer is then dereferenced and incremented by the per-interface statistics path (net_stats.h UPDATE_STAT/SET_STAT) when CONFIG_NET_STATISTICS_PER_INTERFACE is enabled. If the freed slot is concurrently reallocated, pkt->iface may read back as NULL (NULL-pointer dereference / crash) or as a stale/garbage pointer (stray increment write / memory corruption). The path is reachable remotely on the local link without authentication: handle_mld_query() (registered for NET_ICMPV6_MLD_QUERY) responds to a valid MLDv2 General Query (unspecified multicast address, hop limit 1) by calling send_mld_report() -> mld_send(). The result is a remotely triggerable denial of service of the networking stack, with a narrow possibility of memory corruption. The fix caches the interface in a local before sending and no longer touches the packet after net_send_data(). The IPv4/IGMP sibling (igmp_send) already used the corrected pattern.
No known exploitation, public exploit, or elevated probability at this time. Track for changes.
Exploitation likelihood
0.3%chance of exploitation in 30 days · 22nd percentile
Impact if exploited
5.9CVSS 3.1 · MEDIUM
- ConfidentialityNone
- IntegrityLow
- AvailabilityHigh
What an attacker needs
- ⚠Access: Must sit on the same / adjacent network
- ✓Privileges: No account or privileges required
- ✓User interaction: No user interaction needed
- ⚠Complexity: Needs a race window or specific setup
✓ lowers the bar for an attacker · ⚠ raises it
Proof of concept & exploit code
- reference https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr/security/advisories/GHSA-m23w-34pp-4h92
- github-search Search GitHub for public PoC repos
Test against your own equipment
curl -s https://vulnpedia.com/cve/CVE-2026-10637/poc.jsonMachine-readable PoC index for this CVE (for automation).Listed for defensive triage, patch verification, and authorized testing on systems you own. Machine-readable: /cve/CVE-2026-10637/poc.json
Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-416: use-after-free
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H
Known Affected Software Configurations
| Vendor | Product | Version range |
|---|---|---|
| Zephyrproject | Zephyr | ≥ 1.12.0 and < 4.5.0 |
All CVSS metrics
- MEDIUM 5.9 v3.1 · CNA Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - MEDIUM 5.9 v3.1 · NVD Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - HIGH 7.1 v3.1 · NVD Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H