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High

Linux kernel packet fanout use-after-free in packet_release() via NETDEV_UP race

IdentifiersCVE-2026-31504CWE-416· Use After Free

CVE-2026-31504 is a Linux kernel networking vulnerability in AF_PACKET fanout handling. In packet_release(), there is a race window during socket teardown where a concurrent NETDEV_UP notifier can re-register the socket into a fanout group's arr[] array. Before the fix, packet_release() released bind_lock without first zeroing po->num, so po->num remained non-zero and po->ifindex could still match the bound device. If packet_notifier(NETDEV_UP) had already located the socket in sklist, it could re-link the socket. For fanout sockets this path invokes __fanout_link(sk, po), which adds the socket back into the fanout group's f->arr[] and increments f->num_members, but does not increment f->sk_ref. Because fanout_release() does not clean up this re-registration, the fanout array can retain a dangling pointer to a freed socket, resulting in a use-after-free condition. The upstream fix prevents the race by setting po->num to zero while bind_lock is still held in packet_release().

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

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Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can trigger a kernel use-after-free in the packet fanout subsystem, leading to memory corruption in kernel space. The documented security impact is high for confidentiality, integrity, and availability under the published CVSS assessments, and practical outcomes can include kernel crash/denial of service and potentially local privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution in kernel context, depending on heap state and exploitability on the target build.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by restricting untrusted local users from creating and manipulating AF_PACKET sockets and packet fanout configurations, since the issue is locally exploitable and requires low privileges. Minimize the ability of untrusted users or containers to access packet sockets or trigger network device state changes/events. These are only partial mitigations; the authoritative mitigation is to deploy a fixed kernel.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply a kernel update that includes the upstream fix for CVE-2026-31504. The fix changes packet_release() to set po->num to zero while bind_lock is held, preventing NETDEV_UP from re-linking the socket during teardown. Vendor-fixed package versions cited in the provided content include, for example: kernel-default >= 5.14.21-150500.55.166.1 for multiple SLES 15 SP5-related products, >= 6.4.0-150600.23.112.1 for multiple SLES 15 SP6-related products, >= 6.4.0-150700.53.55.1 for SLES 15 SP7-related products, and >= 6.12.0-160000.33.1 for SLES 16.0 / SLE Micro 6.2 / openSUSE Leap 16.0. Reboot after installing the updated kernel.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

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VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

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VendorProductType
LinuxLinux Kerneloperating_system

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ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

6 sources tracked across advisories and community write-ups. News coverage will land here when it surfaces.

No news coverage yet. Advisories and community discussion only.

What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence

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Associated malware

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Detection signatures

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Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity2

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