CVE Intelligence
Critical

CVE-2026-90049 — net: skbuff: don't skb_tx_error() the source skb in skb_zerocopy()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: don't skb_tx_error() the source skb in skb_zerocopy() skb_zerocopy() copies frags from @from into @to. On an skb_orphan_frags() failure it calls skb_tx_error(@from), a destructive operation on the source skb the copy helper does not own. That completes @from's zerocopy uarg and clears SKBFL_ALL_ZEROCOPY, including the SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG page-ownership marker. Both callers already report the failure on their own drop path. nfnetlink_queue does it at nla_put_failure, and Open vSwitch does it in the flow-miss drop arm of ovs_dp_process_packet(), so nothing is lost by dropping it here. On Open vSwitch's OVS_ACTION_ATTR_USERSPACE path the skb is not freed on this error: do_execute_actions() ignores output_userspace()'s return value and, unless the upcall was the last action, keeps forwarding the same skb through the flow's remaining actions. The uarg is completed while that skb is still in flight, telling the producer its buffers are free, and SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG is cleared on an skb the rest of the stack still handles. That flag is what makes esp_input() call skb_cow_data() instead of decrypting in place, so a later local ESP delivery can decrypt over frags the skb does not own privately. Leave error reporting to the callers.

Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: Linux

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
  • 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.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.17%
ahead of 6% of scored CVEs · Oct 15, 2026
Affects
Linux
Linux
CVSS base
9.3
Critical · 2 source(s)

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.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux).
  2. No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
  3. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Linux Linux ≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < 849bdb83123760a865bcb2970127f4c0b9423ba3≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < fb10e0e9b220a2eed08931a60dbaad9a2370c908≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < 767ec2a65cc022d303b0c9c12811e7db22057341≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < 8069643ae64dfdf634b6c78c7f622e5323031436≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < 04dd250a78e268af3e7124beb1dc10ec1dd88d60≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < a13b1e80e5015cd732440b475c0ef443dc4a2157≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < bab5a851e44a3601d31f2aa8043f385bb50ac5d9≥ 36d5fe6a000790f56039afe26834265db0a3ad4c and < 8ece906150128d5ec2462aabcc978c568433eca4
and 5 more version c5f0c0e7525443add533495e93ba8de6feab2396version 1674b4bf3eea3cac51b70778e89f8025f7cfe695≥ 3.10.51 and < 3.11≥ 3.12.40 and < 3.13version 3.14
Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
9.3 CVSS 3.1 Critical 2.5 6.0 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database
9.3 CVSS 3.1 Critical — — Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67)

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
endpoint telemetry (EDR)

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • Affected products added · linux/linux
    Oct 15, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record published
    Oct 15, 2026
  • CVSS changed · 9.3
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · → Received
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVE published
    Sep 16, 2026 · Linux

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026

References

8 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Linux
every CVE for this vendor

Related CVEs (same products)

  • Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 16h
  • Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 16h
  • Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
  • Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 1d
  • Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
  • Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 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 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-2026-90049 is "net: skbuff: don't skb_tx_error() the source skb in skb_zerocopy()", 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 9.3 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.17% 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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