CVE-2026-23048Network attack vector

Service interruption via retained UDP SKB destructor

Published Feb 4, 2026 · Updated Feb 4, 2026

Improper SKB ownership handling in Linux Kernel 6.18 through 6.18.5 allows remote attackers to interrupt service via UDP traffic. In net/ipv4/udp.c, skb_consume_udp() passes an skmsg-owned buffer with a live destructor to skb_attempt_defer_free() instead of first orphaning it. The trigger requires the skmsg receive path, where udp_read_skb() assigns socket ownership; the resulting warning disrupts availability without reported data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper SKB ownership handling in Linux Kernel 6.18 through 6.18.5 allows remote attackers to interrupt service via UDP traffic. In net/ipv4/udp.c, skb_consume_udp() passes an skmsg-owned buffer with a live destructor to skb_attempt_defer_free() instead of first orphaning it. The trigger requires the skmsg receive path, where udp_read_skb() assigns socket ownership; the resulting warning disrupts availability without reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23048
Published
Feb 4, 2026
Updated
Feb 4, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 4, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 4, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.18
  2. Affected versionversion=6471658dc66c670580a7616e75f51b52917e7883 <0c63d5683eae6a7b4d81382bcbecb2a19feff90d
  3. Affected versionversion=6471658dc66c670580a7616e75f51b52917e7883 <e5c8eda39a9fc1547d1398d707aa06c1d080abdd

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.18; version=6471658dc66c670580a7616e75f51b52917e7883 <0c63d5683eae6a7b4d81382bcbecb2a19feff90d; version=6471658dc66c670580a7616e75f51b52917e7883 <e5c8eda39a9fc1547d1398d707aa06c1d080abdd

Published CVSS scores

8.2SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.9SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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