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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-64581: Linux kernel · xfrm: fix sk_dst_cache double-free in xfrm_user_policy()

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in f833821e4b52ab6335d443ede5fb79c38e61d19a : patch Linux kernel soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 1% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CISA SSVC
Exploitation
No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
Automatable
Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
Technical impact
Total control over the software or total information disclosure

CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-10-16.

Patch
Available – fixed in f833821e4b52ab6335d443ede5fb79c38e61d19a, f0ab9a71167bae308e05ab13b65e2007504a603f, e8686fd8d18b99f3a9038683045b2f2338a7706d +10
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 5 Aug 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • >=3.16.52 <3.17
  • >=4.4.163 <4.5
  • >=3.18.101 <3.19
  • >=4.1.52 <4.2
  • >=4.4.123 <4.5
  • >=4.9.89 <4.10
Fixed in
  • f833821e4b52ab6335d443ede5fb79c38e61d19a
  • f0ab9a71167bae308e05ab13b65e2007504a603f
  • e8686fd8d18b99f3a9038683045b2f2338a7706d
  • c283e9ada7fcb7dd4b10592623086b2e6d2f9925
  • a9340ebdc13f8bb5063c0bc0b037ee7e640d4ae9
  • 96b678d08268b5f5c6fc99d4289d9b7e334fc683
  • 8dd8929b71c4f06c614f8f54c2cc070453faae16
  • 4.10
  • 4.5
  • 4.2
  • 3.19
  • 3.17
  • 0ea8f06454012d9e7f9c6e6253df710949bf6294
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • =4.14
Fixed in–

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: fix sk_dst_cache double-free in xfrm_user_policy() xfrm_user_policy() clears the socket dst cache with __sk_dst_reset(), i.e. the non-atomic __sk_dst_set(sk, NULL): it reads sk_dst_cache with rcu_dereference_protected(), stores NULL and dst_release()s the old dst. That is only safe if no other thread modifies sk_dst_cache concurrently. For a connected UDP socket that does not hold: the transmit fast path (udp_sendmsg -> sk_dst_check -> sk_dst_reset) resets the cache locklessly with an atomic xchg(). A per-socket policy change racing a send can make both sides observe the same old dst and each dst_release() it, dropping the socket's single reference twice and freeing the xfrm_dst bundle while it is still referenced: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in dst_release Write of size 4 at addr ffff88801897b6c0 by task exploit/155 Call Trace: ... dst_release (... ./include/linux/rcuref.h:109) xfrm_user_policy (./include/net/sock.h:2239 ./include/net/sock.h:2256 net/xfrm/xfrm_state.c:3053) do_ip_setsockopt (net/ipv4/ip_sockglue.c:1347) ip_setsockopt (net/ipv4/ip_sockglue.c:1417) do_sock_setsockopt (net/socket.c:2368) __sys_setsockopt (net/socket.c:2393) __x64_sys_setsockopt (net/socket.c:2396) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94) entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:121) Reachable by an unprivileged user via a user+network namespace. Use the atomic sk_dst_reset() so the cache is cleared and released with a single xchg(): whichever side wins releases the dst once, the other sees NULL and does nothing. Behaviour is otherwise unchanged.

References

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