netfilter: nf_log: validate MAC header was set before dumping it
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 9 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_log: validate MAC header was set before dumping it The fallback path of dump_mac_header() guards the MAC header access only with "skb->mac_header != skb->network_header", without checking skb_mac_header_was_set(). When the MAC header is unset, mac_header is 0xffff, so the test passes and skb_mac_header(skb) returns skb->head + 0xffff, ~64 KiB past the buffer; the loop then reads dev->hard_header_len bytes out of bounds into the kernel log. This is reachable via the netdev logger: nf_log_unknown_packet() calls dump_mac_header() unconditionally, and an skb sent through AF_PACKET with PACKET_QDISC_BYPASS reaches the egress hook with mac_header still unset (__dev_queue_xmit(), which would reset it, is bypassed). Add the skb_mac_header_was_set() check the ARPHRD_ETHER path already uses, and replace the open-coded MAC header length test with skb_mac_header_len(). Only skbs with an unset MAC header are affected; valid ones are dumped as before. BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in dump_mac_header (net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:831) Read of size 1 at addr ffff88800ea49d3f by task exploit/148 Call Trace: kasan_report (mm/kasan/report.c:595) dump_mac_header (net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:831) nf_log_netdev_packet (net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:938 net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:963) nf_log_packet (net/netfilter/nf_log.c:260) nft_log_eval (net/netfilter/nft_log.c:60) nft_do_chain (net/netfilter/nf_tables_core.c:285) nft_do_chain_netdev (net/netfilter/nft_chain_filter.c:307) nf_hook_slow (net/netfilter/core.c:619) nf_hook_direct_egress (net/packet/af_packet.c:257) packet_xmit (net/packet/af_packet.c:280) packet_sendmsg (net/packet/af_packet.c:3114) __sys_sendto (net/socket.c:2265)
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 | 2.6.36 and later | 5.10.261, 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.94, 6.18.36, 7.0.13, 7.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.36 and later Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.94, 6.18.36, 7.0.13, 7.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.36 to before 5.15.210; 5.16 to before 6.1.176; 6.2 to before 6.6.143; 6.7 to before 6.12.94; 6.13 to before 6.18.36; 6.19 to before 7.0.13 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.36 to before 5.15.210; 5.16 to before 6.1.176; 6.2 to before 6.6.143; 6.7 to before 6.12.94; 6.13 to before 6.18.36; 6.19 to before 7.0.13 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.94, 6.18.36, 7.0.13, 7.1
Red Hat 3 advisories
- RHSA-2026:76739 Released 2026-10-08 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8 +12
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-core-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8 +28
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, libperf-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-core-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8 +21
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-687.55.1.el9_8 +9
- RHSA-2026:66325 Released 2026-09-10 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-553.162.1.el8_10, kernel-4.18.0-553.162.1.el8_10, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-553.162.1.el8_10 +19
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-553.162.1.el8_10
- RHSA-2026:66324 Released 2026-09-10 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel-rt security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8) kernel-rt-4.18.0-553.162.1.rt7.503.el8_10, kernel-rt-core-4.18.0-553.162.1.rt7.503.el8_10, kernel-rt-debug-4.18.0-553.162.1.rt7.503.el8_10 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8) kernel-rt-4.18.0-553.162.1.rt7.503.el8_10, kernel-rt-core-4.18.0-553.162.1.rt7.503.el8_10, kernel-rt-debug-4.18.0-553.162.1.rt7.503.el8_10 +7
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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:76739 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:66325 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:76739 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:66325 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:76739 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:66324 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:66324 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:76739 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:76739 |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-52942
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-3p98-fq5j-wx55
- 2026-10-09 Fix available: RHSA-2026:76739 · Red Hat
- 2026-10-09 Fix available: Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9), Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9), Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) +2 · Red Hat
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-19 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-11-06 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d704ee9c7bc68a161684c51a7ac05b446dcf38d4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/befb8968a2abdfa948d5600ea7f7a509a292a590
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a81e336da685423f5b64aac4d571e63d674c52a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c38d41134085193efd5b237cf513ad5b3421a60d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af1b7699466f6556b351fa25d3dc870abfb5d310
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/65ef7397eb9a296e91839f5fd10be96f23d332e7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a84b6fedbc97078788be78dbdd7517d143ad1a77
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- 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-2026-52942 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-52942 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-3p98-fq5j-wx55 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-52942 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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