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CVE-2026-98368

Linux: esp: downgrade zerocopy managed frags before mutating skb frags

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
7.8High
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.13%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 2% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in2359264f377cdbdef2d95868cc8fb572949e48d3Also 69a768c12398cada8528080332c822623fa7064d, 6508304ac2c8cdafca2f4ab915df8c707893e134 and 2 moreCVE List
Published6 Oct 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 2359264f377cdbdef2d95868cc8fb572949e48d3LinuxCVE List
  • 69a768c12398cada8528080332c822623fa7064dLinuxCVE List
  • 6508304ac2c8cdafca2f4ab915df8c707893e134LinuxCVE List
  • 6cab554f2c0f28773f712ed3a5479103f42ce844LinuxCVE List
  • 0d0845ee61c5df47cc68bc446501f48f71e8dcc6LinuxCVE List

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:

esp: downgrade zerocopy managed frags before mutating skb frags

On the out-of-place output path (esp->inplace == false) ESP rewrites the skb frag array: esp_output_head() appends a trailer frag and esp_output_tail() replaces the frags with a destination page, both referenced with get_page().

When the skb carries zerocopy managed frags (SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS) the payload frags are owned by the ubuf and must not be referenced or unreferenced individually, but ESP mutates the frag array without ever downgrading the skb. This breaks the managed-frag invariant two ways:

  • esp_ssg_unref() walks the source scatterlist and drops a page

reference for every frag, including the ubuf-owned payload frags, pushing their refcount below the GUP pin bias while the pages are still pinned, i.e. a use-after-free of the zerocopy pages;

  • esp_output_tail() installs its destination page as frag 0 with

get_page() but leaves SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS set, so skb_release_data() takes the skip_unref branch and never drops that reference, leaking the x->xfrag page at packet rate.

Fix this the way every other frag-mutating site does (__ip_append_data(), __ip6_append_data(), tcp_sendmsg_locked()) and call skb_zcopy_downgrade_managed() before ESP touches the frag array: it takes a real reference on each existing frag and clears SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS, so the per-frag unref in esp_ssg_unref() and the frag release in skb_release_data() are both balanced and no mixed-ownership frag array is left behind.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 14

  • Linuxaffected: 753f1ca4e1e50248a1b760c9774d6d6b354562cc before 2359264f377cdbdef2d95868cc8fb572949e48d3CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 753f1ca4e1e50248a1b760c9774d6d6b354562cc before 69a768c12398cada8528080332c822623fa7064dCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 753f1ca4e1e50248a1b760c9774d6d6b354562cc before 6508304ac2c8cdafca2f4ab915df8c707893e134CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 753f1ca4e1e50248a1b760c9774d6d6b354562cc before 6cab554f2c0f28773f712ed3a5479103f42ce844CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 753f1ca4e1e50248a1b760c9774d6d6b354562cc before 0d0845ee61c5df47cc68bc446501f48f71e8dcc6CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 753f1ca4e1e50248a1b760c9774d6d6b354562cc before f89416eb3db151170a6f3c6dfc5239d26cdce4d2CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.0CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 6.0CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.1.189 through 6.1.*CVE 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 6