High severity · published Mar 4, 2026
CVE-2026-23231
netfilter: nf_tables: fix use-after-free in nf_tables_addchain()
7.8
CVSS
1%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nf_tables: fix use-after-free in nf_tables_addchain()
nf_tables_addchain() publishes the chain to table->chains via
list_add_tail_rcu() (in nft_chain_add()) before registering hooks.
If nf_tables_register_hook() then fails, the error path calls
nft_chain_del() (list_del_rcu()) followed by nf_tables_chain_destroy()
with no RCU grace period in between.
This creates two use-after-free conditions:
1) Control-plane: nf_tables_dump_chains() traverses table->chains
under rcu_read_lock(). A concurrent dump can still be walking
the chain when the error path frees it.
2) Packet path: for NFPROTO_INET, nf_register_net_hook() briefly
installs the IPv4 hook before IPv6 registration fails. Packets
entering nft_do_chain() via the transient IPv4 hook can still be
dereferencing chain->blob_gen_X when the error path frees the
chain.
Add synchronize_rcu() between nft_chain_del() and the chain destroy
so that all RCU readers -- both dump threads and in-flight packet
evaluation -- have finished before the chain is freed.
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)1.0% · higher than 64% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
KE
Kernel · Linux
3.16 before 6.1.165; 6.2 before 6.6.128; 6.7 before 6.12.75; 6.13 before 6.18.14; 6.19 before 6.19.4 · source: NVD
LI
Linux · Linux
91c7b38dc9f0de4f7f444b796d14476bc12df7bc before 2a6586ecfa4ce1413daaafee250d2590e05f1a33; 91c7b38dc9f0de4f7f444b796d14476bc12df7bc before 7017745068a9068904e1e7a1b170a5785647cc81; 91c7b38dc9f0de4f7f444b796d14476bc12df7bc before f3fe58ce37926a10115ede527d59b91bcc05400a; 91c7b38dc9f0de4f7f444b796d14476bc12df7bc before dbd0af8083dd201f07c49110b2ee93710abdff28; 91c7b38dc9f0de4f7f444b796d14476bc12df7bc before 2f9a4ffeb763aec822f8ff3d1e82202d27d46d4b; 91c7b38dc9f0de4f7f444b796d14476bc12df7bc before 71e99ee20fc3f662555118cf1159443250647533; +1 more · source: vendor
RR
RUGGEDCOM RST2428P · Siemens
before V4.0 · 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
SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystem · Siemens
0 · source: CISA
SS
SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.5; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23231
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23231
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a6586ecfa4ce1413daaafee250d2590e05f1a33
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f9a4ffeb763aec822f8ff3d1e82202d27d46d4b
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7017745068a9068904e1e7a1b170a5785647cc81
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/71e99ee20fc3f662555118cf1159443250647533
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dbd0af8083dd201f07c49110b2ee93710abdff28
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f3fe58ce37926a10115ede527d59b91bcc05400a
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