CVE-2026-31431
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's algif_aead cryptographic algorithm interface. An incorrect in-place operation causes source and destination data mappings to differ during cryptographic processing. A low-privileged local attacker can exploit this flaw to corrupt the contents of sensitive system files and escalate to root privileges.
Security Bulletin
Statement
This issue is classified as Important, rather than Critical severity, because exploitation requires local access to the system. A low-privileged local attacker can exploit this flaw in the Linux kernel's cryptographic interface to gain root privileges by overwriting sensitive system files. Exploitation does not require user interaction, potentially resulting in full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Mitigation
See the security bulletin for a detailed mitigation procedure.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.8 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Other
Technical Impact: Varies by Context
Frequently Asked Questions
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