CVE-2026-31728

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's usb: gadget: u_ether module. A race condition between the gether_disconnect() and eth_stop() functions can lead to a NULL pointer dereference. This occurs when eth_stop() is triggered concurrently while gether_disconnect() is tearing down USB endpoints. The vulnerability can cause a system hardlockup, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).

This vulnerability is rated as Moderate because exploitation requires local access on systems configured as USB peripheral gadgets, restricting the blast radius to a system lockup and denial of service. In typical Red Hat Enterprise Linux deployments, hosts function strictly as USB hosts rather than USB gadgets, leaving the vulnerable Ethernet gadget subsystem inactive by default. Consequently, environments lacking specialized USB device controller configurations or peripheral emulation are not exposed during normal operations.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.