CVE-2026-64525 — xfrm: move policy_bydst RCU sync from per-netns .exit to .pre_exit
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: move policy_bydst RCU sync from per-netns .exit to .pre_exit The struct pernet_operations docstring in include/net/net_namespace.h explicitly warns against blocking RCU primitives in .exit handlers: Exit methods using blocking RCU primitives, such as synchronize_rcu(), should be implemented via exit_batch. [...] Please, avoid synchronize_rcu() at all, where it's possible. Note that a combination of pre_exit() and exit() can be used, since a synchronize_rcu() is guaranteed between the calls. xfrm_policy_fini() violates this: it calls synchronize_rcu() before freeing the policy_bydst hash tables (so no RCU reader is mid- traversal at free time), but runs from xfrm_net_ops.exit -- once per namespace -- so a cleanup_net() of N namespaces pays N full RCU grace periods serially. Use the documented pre_exit/exit split. Move the policy flush (and the workqueue drains it depends on) into a new .pre_exit handler; xfrm_policy_fini() then runs in .exit and frees the hash tables after the synchronize_rcu_expedited() that cleanup_net() guarantees between the two phases. Providing O(1) RCU grace periods per batch instead of O(N). Observed on Linux 6.18 with a workload doing unshare(CLONE_NEWNET) at ~13/sec sustained: cleanup_net() and the netns_wq rescuer kthread both stuck in xfrm_policy_fini()'s synchronize_rcu(), >300k struct net accumulated in the cleanup queue, Percpu in /proc/meminfo climbed to 130+ GB on 256-CPU hosts, and memcg OOMs followed. setup_net and __put_net counts were balanced, ruling out a refcount leak.
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 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
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.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
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).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 438b1f668ad58f46ce699bb48e4698a7839e3f9e and < bca6386dc08750fc7cdcbc7683473748ba3114b9≥ 3733fce2871c9bca9dd18a1a23b1432ea215a094 and < 91cc13978ab0bc6f669139f53e7e613a860d10e0≥ 069daad4f2ae9c5c108131995529d5f02392c446 and < d14ae8ef88c2c6590e107db61b6adce148cec7b3≥ 069daad4f2ae9c5c108131995529d5f02392c446 and < 3e52417318473782012b236d0325bf7d2266a597version b66920a3348c0f63ba18365248fa21fbf0b3a937version 33a3149dd81a1e2f52b80ee1e0fc380b39f3d028≥ 6.12.83 and < 6.12.93≥ 6.18.24 and < 6.18.35 and 5 more≥ 6.6.136 and < 6.7≥ 6.19.14 and < 6.20version 7.0version b2faee12538b5b008eaef65a4201eb29cb5cefb3≥ 6.1.191 and < 6.2 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 15, 2026 → Oct 30, 2026 · 15 reading(s) · max 0.16%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Not enough vector or weakness data: use the affected application’s logs as a starting point.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 30, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
6 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/91cc13978ab0bc6f669139f53e7e613a860d10e0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e52417318473782012b236d0325bf7d2266a597
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d14ae8ef88c2c6590e107db61b6adce148cec7b3
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bca6386dc08750fc7cdcbc7683473748ba3114b9
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64525
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-phmc-55j6-972r
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-99216 Drivers: hv: Don't reset VMBus connection state on error/exit paths 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99215 power: supply: core: prevent unregistering a power supply while a callback runs 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99207 scsi: target: Disable interrupts while holding delayed_cmd_lock 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99208 drm/xe/oa: Zero OA buffer at allocation 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99209 drm/xe: skip eviction of a BO with no resource 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99210 accel/rocket: clear rdev on device init failure 3d
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 CVSS score published by NVD, the CNA, CISA or GitHub so far.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- 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-2026-64525 is "xfrm: move policy_bydst RCU sync from per-netns .exit to .pre_exit", rated Unknown. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. EPSS 0.16% 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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