SELinux network-policy bypass via TCP Fast Open
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Improper access control in affected Linux kernels allows local users to bypass SELinux TCP connect policy through TCP Fast Open. The SELinux socket_sendmsg hook checks only socket write permission for MSG_FASTOPEN, letting sendmsg reach connect semantics without selinux_socket_connect. A local process confined by an SELinux domain that denies the destination can establish an outbound TCP or MPTCP connection without the expected connect, name_connect, or NetLabel checks.
Summary
What happened
Improper access control in affected Linux kernels allows local users to bypass SELinux TCP connect policy through TCP Fast Open. The SELinux socket_sendmsg hook checks only socket write permission for MSG_FASTOPEN, letting sendmsg reach connect semantics without selinux_socket_connect. A local process confined by an SELinux domain that denies the destination can establish an outbound TCP or MPTCP connection without the expected connect, name_connect, or NetLabel checks.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72243
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1562.001
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 15, 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.1.178
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.12.97
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.18.40
- Affected versionversion=0 <6.6.145
- Affected versionversion=0 <7.1.5
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <11406d0d7e11b4e525bb2ace2c70107031d058da
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44c74d27d1b9aaa99fa8a83640c1223575262b80
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <646ebbc5f2ff9147d084e1213143f091026a611c
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d028bc080a0dcd6a7f8e1ae1bd32dda696505ba3
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e507633bf76bccf1a6af27771fb0d6e2862b7eac
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fc633a598206d4f23af782db7c0b5f3a82751d2c
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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