Missing source validation in Linux kernel virtio vsock receive path
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel vsock virtio transport accepts packets from unrelated sources for connected sockets, affecting Linux kernel versions from 4.8. The receive path falls back to a destination-only socket lookup and does not validate the packet source address, so a connected socket can accept data from an unrelated peer. A local user with low privileges can make the victim socket read attacker-chosen data, which affects integrity and availability.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-01
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vsock/virtio: validate packet source for connected sockets virtio_transport_recv_pkt() looks up sockets first by the full source and destination tuple, then by destination only in the bound table. The fallback is needed for listening and connecting sockets, but sockets remain in the bound table after connect(), so it can also return a non-listening socket. The fallback does not validate the source address. In TCP_SYN_SENT, a RESPONSE from an unrelated source can transition the victim socket to TCP_ESTABLISHED while its stored remote address remains unchanged. Subsequent RW packets from that source are delivered through the same destination-only fallback. This was reproduced with capability-empty processes under different UIDs. The attacker discovered the target tuple through unprivileged AF_VSOCK sock_diag and caused the victim socket to read 16 attacker-chosen bytes; the intended peer-side socket read 0 of those 16 bytes. Add vsock_check_source() to validate the transport, source port and source CID against the peer stored in a non-listening socket. The local transport is the CID exception because its packets are generated internally with VMADDR_CID_LOCAL as their source, including connections using CID aliases. Use the helper after lock_sock() in the virtio receive path.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Upgrade the Linux kernel to 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.59, 7.2.13 or 7.3, or to a release that includes the listed fix commits. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10, or for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-01
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.59, 7.2.13, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. 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 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-28 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99123
- 2026-10-28 Alias added: GHSA-vf8c-hhh3-5w4x
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-29 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +5 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 4 new references · CNA
- 2026-10-31 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-31 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bda841af86cdfe7fcf4a2f4db22e27f1b852b1ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0a3a786a5e8b5007d6a3c34721ab052399ab2ad
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f77fb90edca5385d0eecbfd6d2c8ef60afff24a9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec231dd3b14e541ba1c4f842a7d152fb61037333
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6cd829de69efd9ed3a53aa2421004a0396eb2bd7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e9bf92de436ba55f33eaa55d7008e68551123cfd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dee44f41f206becb41c492899c1996cfd7f82a1b
More Linux vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-99123 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99123 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-vf8c-hhh3-5w4x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99123 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences