All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-99123

Linux: vsock/virtio: validate packet source for connected sockets

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)No scoreNo FIRST EPSS score in this snapshot yet
Fixed in6cd829de69efd9ed3a53aa2421004a0396eb2bd7Fixed versionCVE List
Published28 Oct 2026Updated 28 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 6cd829de69efd9ed3a53aa2421004a0396eb2bd7LinuxCVE 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:

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.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 8

  • Linuxaffected: 06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b before 6cd829de69efd9ed3a53aa2421004a0396eb2bd7CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b before e9bf92de436ba55f33eaa55d7008e68551123cfdCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b before dee44f41f206becb41c492899c1996cfd7f82a1bCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4.8CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 4.8CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.59 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.13 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 3