Kernel crash via NULL hook-ops race
Published Jul 19, 2026 · Updated Jul 19, 2026
Race condition in Linux Kernel netfilter x_tables allows local users to crash the system during network namespace teardown. Table registration publishes an arp, IPv4, or IPv6 table before allocating its per-namespace hook-ops copy, so concurrent cleanup passes NULL to nf_unregister_net_hooks. Exploitation requires local access and a race between lazy table initialization and network-namespace teardown; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash and service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in Linux Kernel netfilter x_tables allows local users to crash the system during network namespace teardown. Table registration publishes an arp, IPv4, or IPv6 table before allocating its per-namespace hook-ops copy, so concurrent cleanup passes NULL to nf_unregister_net_hooks. Exploitation requires local access and a race between lazy table initialization and network-namespace teardown; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash and service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-64079
- Published
- Jul 19, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 19, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 19, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=5.13
- Affected versionversion=ae689334225ff0e4ef112459ecd24aea932c2b00 <2f92c5f923979f37ab1d5445381e4b8378a196cc
- Affected versionversion=ae689334225ff0e4ef112459ecd24aea932c2b00 <b62eb8dcf2c47d4d676a434efbd57c4f776f7829
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What is affected?
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Attacks
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Technologies
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