Kernel memory disclosure and crash via XFRM selector
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Out-of-bounds access in the Linux kernel XFRM subsystem allows local users to expose kernel memory or crash the host via malformed selectors. xfrm_selector_match accepts an AF_UNSPEC selector with an oversized prefix length, causing addr4_match to overshift its mask or addr_match to read beyond 16-byte addresses. A low-privileged local user can obtain CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user and network namespace, install the malformed security association and policy, and trigger matching traffic without user interaction.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds access in the Linux kernel XFRM subsystem allows local users to expose kernel memory or crash the host via malformed selectors. xfrm_selector_match accepts an AF_UNSPEC selector with an oversized prefix length, causing addr4_match to overshift its mask or addr_match to read beyond 16-byte addresses. A low-privileged local user can obtain CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user and network namespace, install the malformed security association and policy, and trigger matching traffic without user interaction.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72450
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-1335, T1499
- 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=2d08a6c31c65f23db71a5385ee9cf9d8f9a67a71 <bd7f202cf77556cff59f68dc30e4cdf40cb6e33b
- Affected versionversion=3f0ab59e6537c6a8f9e1b355b48f9c05a76e8563 <40f0b1047918539f0b0f795ac65e35336b4c2c78
- Affected versionversion=3f0ab59e6537c6a8f9e1b355b48f9c05a76e8563 <5a03a2ee17e8259dde631ed84fd8322db06cb2ae
- Affected versionversion=3f0ab59e6537c6a8f9e1b355b48f9c05a76e8563 <6d99379c58f7f1c6ab2cc7aba01a4f52d71adcfe
- Affected versionversion=3f0ab59e6537c6a8f9e1b355b48f9c05a76e8563 <78783fefdc8f36879b1a17efa0d3195ea5f2dc5f
- Affected versionversion=401ad99a5ae7180dd9449eac104cb755f442e7f3
- Affected versionversion=4.19.323 <4.20
- Affected versionversion=5.10.229 <5.10.261
- Affected versionversion=5.15.170 <5.15.212
- Affected versionversion=5.4.285 <5.5
- Affected versionversion=6.1.115 <6.1.178
- Affected versionversion=6.11.6 <6.12
- Affected versionversion=6.12
- Affected versionversion=6.6.59 <6.6.145
- Affected versionversion=7d9868180bd1e4cf37e7c5067362658971162366 <efa9e3b9f3dea2e1ea4c7edf4edc863faef85986
- Affected versionversion=8df5cd51fd70c33aa1776e5cbcd82b0a86649d73 <87a5bbccc7ff4edb3f42fea387124237d2ba91ee
- Affected versionversion=bce1afaa212ec380bf971614f70909a27882b862 <a3968ad4195d72c8fddcc6c0ef39da95ac98711a
- Affected versionversion=e68dd80ba498265d2266b12dc3459164f4ff0c4a
- Affected versionversion=f31398570acf0f0804c644006f7bfa9067106b0a
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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