Connection-limit bypass via misdirected zone comparison
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Incorrect connection accounting in Linux netfilter nf_conncount allows remote attackers to bypass configured per-zone connection limits. Within __nf_conncount_add(), tuple-dedup checks pass a zone-direction bitmask where an original/reply enum is required, causing helpers to use the default zone ID and treat distinct zones as equal. Reachability requires nf_conncount-based limits with affected conntrack-zone directions; the resulting undercount defeats an availability control.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect connection accounting in Linux netfilter nf_conncount allows remote attackers to bypass configured per-zone connection limits. Within __nf_conncount_add(), tuple-dedup checks pass a zone-direction bitmask where an original/reply enum is required, causing helpers to use the default zone ID and treat distinct zones as equal. Reachability requires nf_conncount-based limits with affected conntrack-zone directions; the resulting undercount defeats an availability control.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72247
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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
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- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <35a56e2a46b90e6bd4ca816b80e9cb8d20dfc3ce
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <3cd9a5792cbea81139c24320986dd0db69e9b5d0
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <4f30a89c0ed2418719a1144881c2635b940b543d
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <6ff07ac5405bea4d4ead3559fc123f987576424a
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <78b5d6dbc860776161f9e9206b06ff8a01f531ab
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <7bdc3c0985ecf17b957811fedcc684acdf698acc
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <82fc35e0da9a91db9a034f8311f18f77a599ae3f
- Affected versionversion=21ba8847f857028dc83a0f341e16ecc616e34740 <f62c41b4910e65da396ec9a8c40c1fe7fe82e449
- Affected versionversion=4.14.92 <4.15
- Affected versionversion=4.18
- Affected versionversion=525e1dffed8711973f77412729621098a95238e5
- Affected versionversion=75af3d78168e654a5cd8bbc4c774f97be836165f
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
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