CVE-2026-31504
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. A race condition in the packet_release() function, specifically during a network device up (NETDEV_UP) event, can lead to a Use-After-Free (UAF) vulnerability. This occurs when a socket is re-registered into a fanout group's array, leaving a dangling pointer. A local attacker could potentially exploit this to cause memory corruption, which may result in a denial of service or privilege escalation.
Statement
The fix clears po->num under bind_lock so NETDEV_UP cannot re-link a fanout socket mid-release, closing the dangling f->arr[] entry found during audit of related fanout bugs. Red Hat recommends patched kernels for any workload using AF_PACKET fanout. Unloading af_packet is a blunt mitigation where policy permits.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the af_packet module from being loaded. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions.
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).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 6.3 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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)
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Modify Application Data; Modify Memory; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
It may be possible to cause data corruption and possibly execute arbitrary code by modifying global variables or data structures at unexpected times, violating the assumptions of code that uses this global data.
Access Control
Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
If a signal handler interrupts code that is executing with privileges, it may be possible that the signal handler will also be executed with elevated privileges, possibly making subsequent exploits more severe.
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