netfilter: nft_ct: fix use-after-free in timeout object destroy
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_ct: fix use-after-free in timeout object destroy nft_ct_timeout_obj_destroy() frees the timeout object with kfree() immediately after nf_ct_untimeout(), without waiting for an RCU grace period. Concurrent packet processing on other CPUs may still hold RCU-protected references to the timeout object obtained via rcu_dereference() in nf_ct_timeout_data(). Add an rcu_head to struct nf_ct_timeout and use kfree_rcu() to defer freeing until after an RCU grace period, matching the approach already used in nfnetlink_cttimeout.c. KASAN report: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in nf_conntrack_tcp_packet+0x1381/0x29d0 Read of size 4 at addr ffff8881035fe19c by task exploit/80 Call Trace: nf_conntrack_tcp_packet+0x1381/0x29d0 nf_conntrack_in+0x612/0x8b0 nf_hook_slow+0x70/0x100 __ip_local_out+0x1b2/0x210 tcp_sendmsg_locked+0x722/0x1580 __sys_sendto+0x2d8/0x320 Allocated by task 75: nft_ct_timeout_obj_init+0xf6/0x290 nft_obj_init+0x107/0x1b0 nf_tables_newobj+0x680/0x9c0 nfnetlink_rcv_batch+0xc29/0xe00 Freed by task 26: nft_obj_destroy+0x3f/0xa0 nf_tables_trans_destroy_work+0x51c/0x5c0 process_one_work+0x2c4/0x5a0
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.19 and later | 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169, 6.6.135, 6.12.82, 6.18.23, 6.19.13, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.19 and later Fixed in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169, 6.6.135, 6.12.82, 6.18.23, 6.19.13, 7.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 9
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.19.1 to before 5.10.253; 5.11 to before 5.15.203; 5.16 to before 6.1.169; 6.2 to before 6.6.135; 6.7 to before 6.12.82; 6.13 to before 6.18.23; 6.19 to before 6.19.13 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:4.19:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.19 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.19.1 to before 5.10.253; 5.11 to before 5.15.203; 5.16 to before 6.1.169; 6.2 to before 6.6.135; 6.7 to before 6.12.82; 6.13 to before 6.18.23; 6.19 to before 6.19.13 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:4.19:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.19 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169, 6.6.135, 6.12.82, 6.18.23, 6.19.13, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-31665
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-m7w2-jxf2-6j36
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-19 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c458fc1c278a65ad5381083121d39a479973ebed
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c581e5c8f2b59158f62efe61c1a3dc36189081ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f16fe84879a5280f05ebbcea593a189ba0f3e79a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/070abdf1b04325b21a20a2a0c39a2208af107275
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aa7cfa16f98f8ec3e6d47c34e1a8c1ae4b9b8b77
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b42aca3660dc2627a29a38131597ca610dc451f9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d0983b48c10d1509fd795c155f8b1e832e1369ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f8dca15a1b190787bbd03285304b569631160eda
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- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-31665 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-31665 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-m7w2-jxf2-6j36 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-31665 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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