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CVE-2026-98231

Linux: xfrm: serialize state GC with device state flush

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.20%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 9% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in937108dc0258d6ac69926b00bc53598c98986ee1Also 39e41af3653ee45c985190dd97426f318918d201, 75fc4561772e2f9811abf39ed10443e6f4a4bc6c and 4 moreCVE List
Published6 Oct 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 937108dc0258d6ac69926b00bc53598c98986ee1LinuxCVE List
  • 39e41af3653ee45c985190dd97426f318918d201LinuxCVE List
  • 75fc4561772e2f9811abf39ed10443e6f4a4bc6cLinuxCVE List
  • 84e378395494963b1e581cf223a7cbeec8c0e2d6LinuxCVE List
  • 89fefad9f971bc637fb22373078144f2563c4be9LinuxCVE List
  • 6.6.158LinuxCVE List
Show all 7 fixed versions

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

xfrm: serialize state GC with device state flush

The deferred-device pass in xfrm_dev_state_flush() finds states under xfrm_state_dev_gc_lock, but drops the lock before calling xfrm_dev_state_free() because the driver callback may sleep. The device GC list does not hold an xfrm_state reference, so the state GC worker can destroy the same state concurrently.

The race can proceed as follows:

CPU 0 CPU 1 find x on the device GC list drop xfrm_state_dev_gc_lock read x->xso.dev xfrm_state_gc_destroy(x) xfrm_dev_state_free(x) xfrm_state_free(x) continue xfrm_dev_state_free(x)

Both paths can invoke the driver callback and drop the device reference. CPU 0 can also access the xfrm_state after CPU 1 has freed it.

KASAN reported:

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in xfrm_dev_state_free+0x24c/0x2a0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88810bbaa960 by task poc/102

Call Trace: xfrm_dev_state_free+0x24c/0x2a0 xfrm_dev_state_flush+0x353/0x400 xfrm_dev_event+0x26d/0x3a0 notifier_call_chain+0xc0/0x280 __dev_notify_flags+0x169/0x250 netif_change_flags+0xe7/0x160 dev_change_flags+0x96/0x220 devinet_ioctl+0x7f4/0x1880

Allocated by task 87: xfrm_state_alloc+0x1e/0x5c0 xfrm_add_sa+0xe7f/0x5820 xfrm_user_rcv_msg+0x4f3/0x940

Freed by task 57: kmem_cache_free+0xcb/0x3d0 xfrm_state_gc_task+0x4a8/0x650 process_one_work+0x63a/0x1070

Serialize xfrm_state destruction against the deferred-device pass with a mutex. Keep xfrm_state_dev_gc_lock limited to list operations and retain the existing callback and device-reference release ordering.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 15

  • Linuxaffected: d5f53edd43daf3e6e1633a49c561387f8f99e13f before 937108dc0258d6ac69926b00bc53598c98986ee1CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 07b87f9eea0c30675084d50c82532d20168da009 before 39e41af3653ee45c985190dd97426f318918d201CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 07b87f9eea0c30675084d50c82532d20168da009 before 75fc4561772e2f9811abf39ed10443e6f4a4bc6cCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 07b87f9eea0c30675084d50c82532d20168da009 before 84e378395494963b1e581cf223a7cbeec8c0e2d6CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 07b87f9eea0c30675084d50c82532d20168da009 before 89fefad9f971bc637fb22373078144f2563c4be9CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 8ecee44464a4926c9bef989a1490b7394785f584CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.6.44 before 6.6.158CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.10.3 before 6.11CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.11CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 6.11CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.158 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.112 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.54 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.8 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 5