System hang via reversed LED trigger locks
Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026
Improper locking in the Linux Kernel PHY LED trigger path allows local users to hang the system when both LED trigger features are enabled. During phy_attach, phy_led_triggers_register() holds RTNL before taking triggers_list_lock, while netdev trigger activation takes those locks in reverse order. A local user can reach the hang only when both LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV and LED_TRIGGER_PHY are enabled, interrupting the affected system until recovery.
Summary
What happened
Improper locking in the Linux Kernel PHY LED trigger path allows local users to hang the system when both LED trigger features are enabled. During phy_attach, phy_led_triggers_register() holds RTNL before taking triggers_list_lock, while netdev trigger activation takes those locks in reverse order. A local user can reach the hang only when both LEDS_TRIGGER_NETDEV and LED_TRIGGER_PHY are enabled, interrupting the affected system until recovery.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-23368
- Published
- Mar 25, 2026
- Updated
- Mar 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-667, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=06f502f57d0d7728f9fa0f157ec5e4111ddb98f6 <241cd64cf2e32b28ead151b1795cd8fef2b6e482
- Affected versionversion=06f502f57d0d7728f9fa0f157ec5e4111ddb98f6 <2764dcb3c35de4410f642afc62cf979727470575
- Affected versionversion=06f502f57d0d7728f9fa0f157ec5e4111ddb98f6 <c33523b8fd2d4c504ada18cd93f511f2a8f84217
- Affected versionversion=06f502f57d0d7728f9fa0f157ec5e4111ddb98f6 <c6ffc2d2338d325e1edd0c702e3ee623aa5fdc6a
- Affected versionversion=06f502f57d0d7728f9fa0f157ec5e4111ddb98f6 <c8dbdc6e380e7e96a51706db3e4b7870d8a9402d
- Affected versionversion=06f502f57d0d7728f9fa0f157ec5e4111ddb98f6 <cde2d0b5ab5d03b5b6f17d4f654d8b30ccf36757
- Affected versionversion=4.16
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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