High

CVE-2026-97611 — net: openvswitch: fix use-after-free of the flow table mask array

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: openvswitch: fix use-after-free of the flow table mask array tbl_mask_array_realloc() retires the old mask_array before it stops being reachable: old = ovsl_dereference(tbl->mask_array); if (old) { ... call_rcu(&old->rcu, mask_array_rcu_cb); } rcu_assign_pointer(tbl->mask_array, new); call_rcu() only waits for read-side critical sections already in flight. tbl->mask_array still points at old between the call_rcu() and the rcu_assign_pointer(), so a reader entering ovs_flow_tbl_lookup_stats() in that window picks up old in a fresh critical section that the pending grace period does not cover. tbl_mask_array_realloc() runs in process context under ovs_mutex, so the window is preemptible and can outlast the grace period. Then mask_array_rcu_cb() frees old before the swap runs: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in flow_lookup.constprop.0+0x2bf/0x2f0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff888020b3e018 by task poc/741 flow_lookup.constprop.0+0x2bf/0x2f0 ovs_flow_tbl_lookup_stats+0x4a3/0x5c0 ovs_dp_process_packet+0x19c/0x710 ovs_vport_receive+0x243/0x390 internal_dev_xmit+0x81/0x170 Freed by task 728: kfree+0x16a/0x4e0 rcu_core+0x853/0x1030 Publish the new array before retiring the old one. The kfree_rcu() that call_rcu() replaced ran after the swap.

Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: Linux

Low

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

Technical severity (high)+6

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

—

No EPSS score.

Affects

Linux

CVSS base

7.8

High · 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.

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	≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < 4c98b492e9ed63f9ca3e23566d9a6a4f235944f4≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < 4016ead17acd75312c066ecd47c4b7f0a81ceaa2≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < 017dbbf0d6c319a487f68e22f56d91fc787d5525≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < 76678217cdabc41e3c74c23b45b62086ffb8fe7a≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < cd982e11684def5d4a9fcfd5354de09032828414≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < a0d18d21d48a551f82ee344e50efb8a682161489≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < 035e9c3722067648a99010711d0ce81f42572ef4≥ eac87c413bf9794c14d488998a5265ea5b32f04e and < ba4ba11ed6eb8972c69070417fc27b48deb002e8 and 1 more version 5.9	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

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

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.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Scored by
7.8	CVSS 3.1	High	1.8	5.9	416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database
7.8	CVSS 3.1	High	—	—	Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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 · 7.8
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 25, 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

git.kernel.org/stable/c/a0d18d21d48a551f82ee344e50efb8a682161489
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/76678217cdabc41e3c74c23b45b62086ffb8fe7a
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c98b492e9ed63f9ca3e23566d9a6a4f235944f4
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba4ba11ed6eb8972c69070417fc27b48deb002e8
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/017dbbf0d6c319a487f68e22f56d91fc787d5525
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd982e11684def5d4a9fcfd5354de09032828414
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/035e9c3722067648a99010711d0ce81f42572ef4
NIST National Vulnerability Database
git.kernel.org/stable/c/4016ead17acd75312c066ecd47c4b7f0a81ceaa2
NIST National Vulnerability Database

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 13h
Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 13h
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 FIRST EPSS score.
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-2026-97611 is "net: openvswitch: fix use-after-free of the flow table mask array", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. 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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