High severity · published Mar 20, 2026
CVE-2026-23272
netfilter: nf_tables: unconditionally bump set->nelems before insertion
7.8
CVSS
0.2%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nf_tables: unconditionally bump set->nelems before insertion
In case that the set is full, a new element gets published then removed
without waiting for the RCU grace period, while RCU reader can be
walking over it already.
To address this issue, add the element transaction even if set is full,
but toggle the set_full flag to report -ENFILE so the abort path safely
unwinds the set to its previous state.
As for element updates, decrement set->nelems to restore it.
A simpler fix is to call synchronize_rcu() in the error path.
However, with a large batch adding elements to already maxed-out set,
this could cause noticeable slowdown of such batches.
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)0.2% · higher than 6% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
KE
Kernel · Linux
4.9.33 before 4.10; 4.10.1 before 6.18.17; 6.19 before 6.19.7; 4.10; 4.10; 4.10; +3 more · source: NVD
LI
Linux · Linux
35d0ac9070ef619e3bf44324375878a1c540387b before 25fcaef7948912652905e96922f36583a84fffed; 35d0ac9070ef619e3bf44324375878a1c540387b before e3ccb11fc8249759d23326038c8db987ddaabc77; 35d0ac9070ef619e3bf44324375878a1c540387b before 86bc4b1a0f672d47ac19f9022432cb6a2e01cb33; 35d0ac9070ef619e3bf44324375878a1c540387b before 6826131c7674329335ca25df2550163eb8a1fd0c; 35d0ac9070ef619e3bf44324375878a1c540387b before ccb8c8f3c1127cf34d18c737309897c68046bf21; 35d0ac9070ef619e3bf44324375878a1c540387b before def602e498a4f951da95c95b1b8ce8ae68aa733a; +3 more · source: vendor
SS
SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystem · Siemens
0 · source: CISA
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23272
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23272
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/25fcaef7948912652905e96922f36583a84fffed
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6826131c7674329335ca25df2550163eb8a1fd0c
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86bc4b1a0f672d47ac19f9022432cb6a2e01cb33
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ccb8c8f3c1127cf34d18c737309897c68046bf21
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/def602e498a4f951da95c95b1b8ce8ae68aa733a
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3ccb11fc8249759d23326038c8db987ddaabc77
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