CVE-2026-80864
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) subsystem, specifically within the rxe component. A local, unprivileged user could exploit a race condition during a queue pair modification operation. This could lead to a use-after-free vulnerability, allowing the attacker to cause a system crash and resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the rdma_rxe kernel module from being loaded.
1. Create a configuration file in /etc/modprobe.d to disable loading of the module:
# echo "install rdma_rxe /bin/true" > /etc/modprobe.d/disable-rdma_rxe.conf
2. If the module is currently loaded, attempt to unload it:
# modprobe -r rdma_rxe
Caveats:
Disabling this module prevents the creation and operation of software RDMA over Converged Ethernet (Soft-RoCE) devices. Applications requiring rdma_rxe will fail to initialize. If the module is currently in active use and cannot be unloaded dynamically, a system reboot is required to ensure the module is fully disabled.
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 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Memory
If the expired pointer is used in a read operation, an attacker might be able to control data read in by the application.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
If the expired pointer references a memory location that is not accessible to the product, or points to a location that is "malformed" (such as NULL) or larger than expected by a read or write operation, then a crash may occur.
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
If the expired pointer is used in a function call, or points to unexpected data in a write operation, then code execution may be possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what something means? Check out our Security Glossary.
Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.
