CVE-2026-23351Public exploit

Local kernel compromise via pipapo GC use-after-free

Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel netfilter pipapo sets allows local users to compromise the kernel through nftables operations. Garbage collection queues expired elements for RCU freeing before swapping the clone and live pointers, so packet lookups and userspace dumps can dereference reclaimed objects. Low privileges suffice where user namespaces grant CAP_NET_ADMIN; exploitation enables kernel memory disclosure, arbitrary writes, code execution, or a system crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel netfilter pipapo sets allows local users to compromise the kernel through nftables operations. Garbage collection queues expired elements for RCU freeing before swapping the clone and live pointers, so packet lookups and userspace dumps can dereference reclaimed objects. Low privileges suffice where user namespaces grant CAP_NET_ADMIN; exploitation enables kernel memory disclosure, arbitrary writes, code execution, or a system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23351
Published
Mar 25, 2026
Updated
Mar 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 25, 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=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <16f3595c0441d87dfa005c47d8f95be213afaa9e
  2. Affected versionversion=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <500a50a301ce962b019ab95053ac70264fec2c21
  3. Affected versionversion=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <7864c667aed01a58b87ca518a631322cd0ac34c0
  4. Affected versionversion=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <9df95785d3d8302f7c066050117b04cd3c2048c2
  5. Affected versionversion=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <aff13667708dfa0dce136b8efd81baa9fa6ef261
  6. Affected versionversion=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <c12d570d71920903a1a0468b7d13b085203d0c93
  7. Affected versionversion=5.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <16f3595c0441d87dfa005c47d8f95be213afaa9e; version=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <500a50a301ce962b019ab95053ac70264fec2c21; version=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <7864c667aed01a58b87ca518a631322cd0ac34c0; version=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <9df95785d3d8302f7c066050117b04cd3c2048c2; version=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <aff13667708dfa0dce136b8efd81baa9fa6ef261; version=3c4287f62044a90e73a561aa05fc46e62da173da <c12d570d71920903a1a0468b7d13b085203d0c93; version=5.6

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
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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