CVE-2026-53175 — Linux kernel inet fragment use-after-free during netns teardown flush
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: inet: frags: fix use-after-free caused by the fqdir_pre_exit() flush On netns teardown, fqdir_pre_exit() walks the fqdir rhashtable and flushes every fragment queue that is not yet complete using inet_frag_queue_flush(). That helper frees all the skbs queued on the fragment queue but does not set INET_FRAG_COMPLETE, and leaves q->fragments_tail and q->last_run_head pointing at the freed skbs. The queue itself stays in the rhashtable. fqdir_pre_exit() first lowers high_thresh to 0 to stop new queue lookups, but it cannot stop a fragment that already obtained the queue through inet_frag_find() earlier and stalled just before taking the queue lock. Once that fragment resumes after the flush and takes the queue lock, it passes the INET_FRAG_COMPLETE check and then dereferences the freed fragments_tail. inet_frag_queue_insert() reads FRAG_CB() and ->len of that pointer and, on the append path, writes ->next_frag, causing a slab use-after-free. IPv6, nf_conntrack_reasm6 and 6lowpan reassembly share the same flush path and are affected as well. Reset rb_fragments, fragments_tail and last_run_head in inet_frag_queue_flush() so a flushed queue no longer points at the freed skbs. A fragment that resumes after the flush and takes the queue lock then finds an empty queue and starts a new run instead of dereferencing the freed fragments_tail. ip_frag_reinit() already performed this reset after its own flush, so drop the now duplicate code there.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+3
- Technical severity (critical)+10
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | version 6.19≥ 6.18.3 and < 6.18.36≥ 6.12.93 and < 6.12.94≥ 006a5035b495dec008805df249f92c22c89c3d2e and < 32594b09854970d7ba83eb2dc8c69a2edd158c8e≥ 006a5035b495dec008805df249f92c22c89c3d2e and < 010c3313a4d178dc2d3ce958d2e5cb055e2864c1≥ c70df25214ac9b32b53e18e6ae3b8f073ffa6903 and < 89b909e9704587bfecc1aab1d37e98faee03b9f9≥ 543555954b1ee8d1903a7020324efb41b0c97428 and < c22599cc90e1cd5f8129c8670bd68a02ff7177b4≥ 22ee4010866da81aeee08e1ea3fddbe418feb212 and < 0e823ca0e7391630784ae7dd0981b7ad170a93d9 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 7.1-rc3version 7.1-rc7version 7.1-rc6version 7.1-rc5version 7.1-rc4≥ 6.18.3 and < 6.18.36version 7.1-rc2version 7.1-rc1 and 10 moreversion 6.19-rc8version 6.19-rc7version 6.19-rc6version 6.19-rc5version 6.19-rc4version 6.19-rc3version 6.19-rc2version 6.19version 6.12.93≥ 6.19.1 and < 7.0.13 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.0 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.0 | 5.9 | 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 0.31%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Analysis and videos
CVE-2026-53175: Linux kernel inet fragment use-after-free during netns teardown flush
CVE-2026-53175 is a use-after-free (CWE-416) in the Linux kernel's inet fragment reassembly code. Incomplete fragment queues flushed during network namespace teardown keep pointers to freed buffers, which a late-resuming fragment can dereference. The CNA scores it 9.8 (critical) under CVSS 3.1, and the record shows no confirmed exploitation.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
8 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e823ca0e7391630784ae7dd0981b7ad170a93d9
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c22599cc90e1cd5f8129c8670bd68a02ff7177b4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/89b909e9704587bfecc1aab1d37e98faee03b9f9
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/010c3313a4d178dc2d3ce958d2e5cb055e2864c1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/32594b09854970d7ba83eb2dc8c69a2edd158c8e
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-53175
- security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-53175.json
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-53175 is "Linux kernel inet fragment use-after-free during netns teardown flush", rated Critical. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.31% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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