CVE-2026-31469

Kernel crash via stale virtio_net destination reference

Published Apr 22, 2026 · Updated Apr 22, 2026

Use after free in Linux Kernel virtio_net allows local users with network administration rights to crash the kernel during namespace teardown. With napi_tx disabled and IFF_XMIT_DST_RELEASE cleared, start_xmit queues an skb holding its destination reference after namespace teardown frees dst_ops, and free_old_xmit later passes the stale entry to dst_release. Reaching the fault requires local network-administration rights to configure a virtio_net interface, manipulate traffic control and namespaces, leave transmit-ring packets pending, and transmit again.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
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 virtio_net allows local users with network administration rights to crash the kernel during namespace teardown. With napi_tx disabled and IFF_XMIT_DST_RELEASE cleared, start_xmit queues an skb holding its destination reference after namespace teardown frees dst_ops, and free_old_xmit later passes the stale entry to dst_release. Reaching the fault requires local network-administration rights to configure a virtio_net interface, manipulate traffic control and namespaces, leave transmit-ring packets pending, and transmit again.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-31469
Published
Apr 22, 2026
Updated
Apr 22, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 22, 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=2.6.26
  2. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <63d45077b97bb0e0fe0c75931acbbca7a47af141
  3. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <8a4790850e710fd6771e4d2112168ed1dd6c0e54
  4. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <9a18629f2525781f0f3dda7be72b204e4cf77d08
  5. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <ba8bda9a0896746053aa97ac6c3e08168729172c
  6. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <be0e63f3b97bbaf453c542e8a15ba2a536e2ac01
  7. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <c1ec36cb3768574b916f20d2d7415fd14fa1bf12
  8. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <f04733c4dc40c43899c3d1c97afbae5831a3770f
  9. Affected versionversion=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <fedd2e1630cac920844997227ccbe7b26a76375a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=2.6.26; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <63d45077b97bb0e0fe0c75931acbbca7a47af141; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <8a4790850e710fd6771e4d2112168ed1dd6c0e54; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <9a18629f2525781f0f3dda7be72b204e4cf77d08; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <ba8bda9a0896746053aa97ac6c3e08168729172c; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <be0e63f3b97bbaf453c542e8a15ba2a536e2ac01; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <c1ec36cb3768574b916f20d2d7415fd14fa1bf12; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <f04733c4dc40c43899c3d1c97afbae5831a3770f; version=f2fc6a54585a1be6669613a31fbaba2ecbadcd36 <fedd2e1630cac920844997227ccbe7b26a76375a

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS: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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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