High severity · published Feb 13, 2026
CVE-2026-23111
netfilter: nf_tables: fix inverted genmask check in nft_map_catchall_activate()
7.8
CVSS
0.5%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nf_tables: fix inverted genmask check in nft_map_catchall_activate()
nft_map_catchall_activate() has an inverted element activity check
compared to its non-catchall counterpart nft_mapelem_activate() and
compared to what is logically required.
nft_map_catchall_activate() is called from the abort path to re-activate
catchall map elements that were deactivated during a failed transaction.
It should skip elements that are already active (they don't need
re-activation) and process elements that are inactive (they need to be
restored). Instead, the current code does the opposite: it skips inactive
elements and processes active ones.
Compare the non-catchall activate callback, which is correct:
nft_mapelem_activate():
if (nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
return 0; /* skip active, process inactive */
With the buggy catchall version:
nft_map_catchall_activate():
if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, genmask))
continue; /* skip inactive, process active */
The consequence is that when a DELSET operation is aborted,
nft_setelem_data_activate() is never called for the catchall element.
For NFT_GOTO verdict elements, this means nft_data_hold() is never
called to restore the chain->use reference count. Each abort cycle
permanently decrements chain->use. Once chain->use reaches zero,
DELCHAIN succeeds and frees the chain while catchall verdict elements
still reference it, resulting in a use-after-free.
This is exploitable for local privilege escalation from an unprivileged
user via user namespaces + nftables on distributions that enable
CONFIG_USER_NS and CONFIG_NF_TABLES.
Fix by removing the negation so the check matches nft_mapelem_activate():
skip active elements, process inactive ones.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.5% · higher than 44% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
KE
Kernel · Linux
4.19.316 before 4.20; 5.4.262 before 5.5; 5.10.188 before 5.11; 5.15.121 before 5.15.200; 6.1.36 before 6.1.163; 6.3.10 before 6.4; +12 more · source: NVD
LI
Linux · Linux
25aa2ad37c2162be1c0bc4fe6397f7e4c13f00f8 before 8c760ba4e36c750379d13569f23f5a6e185333f5; d60be2da67d172aecf866302c91ea11533eca4d9 before b9b6573421de51829f7ec1cce76d85f5f6fbbd7f; 628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 before 42c574c1504aa089a0a142e4c13859327570473d; 628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 before 1444ff890b4653add12f734ffeffc173d42862dd; 628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 before 8b68a45f9722f2babe9e7bad00aa74638addf081; 628bd3e49cba1c066228e23d71a852c23e26da73 before f41c5d151078c5348271ffaf8e7410d96f2d82f8; +11 more · source: vendor
RR
RUGGEDCOM RST2428P · Siemens
before V4.0 · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Support · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update Support · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Support · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
SS
SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.5; V3.1.7; V3.1.6; V3.1.5; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
SS
SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.5; V3.1.7; V3.1.6; V3.1.5; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
SS
SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.5; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
In the news
VulnerabilityCritical
CVE-2026-23111: Linux nf_tables Flaw Enables Root Exploits
A Linux kernel nf_tables bug lets local users gain root via use-after-free caused by a logic error; patch removes a single “!”. CVE-2026-23111 lives in nf_tables, the Linux kernel’s packet filtering framework. Exodus Intelligence researcher Oliver Sieber found the bug in early 2025 and chained it into a full local privilege escalation. The flaw was […]
Jun 9, 2026·Security Affairs
VulnerabilityCritical
One-Character Linux Kernel Flaw Enables Local Root Access, Exploits Now Public
Security researchers have published a detailed, working exploit for a Linux kernel use-after-free that lets an unprivileged local user escalate to root and break out of a container.
The flaw, CVE-2026-23111, sits in the kernel's nf_tables packet-filtering code and was patched upstream on February 5, 2026. Exodus Intelligence released its full technical walkthrough on June 8, and it is not even
Jun 8, 2026·The Hacker News
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23111
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23111
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1444ff890b4653add12f734ffeffc173d42862dd
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/42c574c1504aa089a0a142e4c13859327570473d
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b68a45f9722f2babe9e7bad00aa74638addf081
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c760ba4e36c750379d13569f23f5a6e185333f5
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b9b6573421de51829f7ec1cce76d85f5f6fbbd7f
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f41c5d151078c5348271ffaf8e7410d96f2d82f8
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