CVE-2026-23165Public exploit

System hang via recursive RSS lock acquisition

Published Feb 14, 2026 · Updated Feb 14, 2026

Improper locking in the Linux kernel sfc driver 6.17 through 6.18.8 allows local users to hang the system during an RSS read. The ethtool core acquires net_device.rss_lock before efx_mcdi_rx_pull_rss_config acquires the same lock again, creating a self-deadlock. Triggering requires local access to read the RSS table of an interface bound to the sfc driver; 6.19-rc1 through 6.19-rc7 are also affected.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.08%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper locking in the Linux kernel sfc driver 6.17 through 6.18.8 allows local users to hang the system during an RSS read. The ethtool core acquires net_device.rss_lock before efx_mcdi_rx_pull_rss_config acquires the same lock again, creating a self-deadlock. Triggering requires local access to read the RSS table of an interface bound to the sfc driver; 6.19-rc1 through 6.19-rc7 are also affected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23165
Published
Feb 14, 2026
Updated
Feb 14, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-667, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 14, 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=040cef30b5e67271e3193e0206f82b206fc97095 <590c8179ffb01c17644181408821b55b8704c50c
  2. Affected versionversion=040cef30b5e67271e3193e0206f82b206fc97095 <944c614b0a7afa5b87612c3fb557b95a50ad654c
  3. Affected versionversion=6.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=040cef30b5e67271e3193e0206f82b206fc97095 <590c8179ffb01c17644181408821b55b8704c50c; version=040cef30b5e67271e3193e0206f82b206fc97095 <944c614b0a7afa5b87612c3fb557b95a50ad654c; version=6.17

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-667Improper Locking
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

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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