Kernel crash or policy bypass via oversized mask
Published Aug 17, 2026 · Updated Aug 25, 2026
Incorrect bit shifting in the Linux netfilter nft_payload component allows local users to corrupt offloaded filtering policy or crash the kernel. nft_payload_offload_mask() shifts a 32-bit integer by up to 120 bits and trims only one mask word, so partial-field rules retain trailing 0xff bytes. Reaching the flaw requires CAP_NET_ADMIN and an nftables netdev ingress chain with hardware offload; the resulting mask can misapply packet actions or trigger a kernel panic.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect bit shifting in the Linux netfilter nft_payload component allows local users to corrupt offloaded filtering policy or crash the kernel. nft_payload_offload_mask() shifts a 32-bit integer by up to 120 bits and trims only one mask word, so partial-field rules retain trailing 0xff bytes. Reaching the flaw requires CAP_NET_ADMIN and an nftables netdev ingress chain with hardware offload; the resulting mask can misapply packet actions or trigger a kernel panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-74579
- Published
- Aug 17, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-1335, T1562.004, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 25, 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=5.10
- Affected versionversion=5.9.14 <5.10
- Affected versionversion=5c2b4b4f9fa5b765b927e361e3d310bcb5773015
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <16b553c46e347bc9de9946c4960654d5884a86de
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <363c3a84a946d53e5e121c9f47c7c2b7d228c46b
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <39e88f28fb32bf02bd4b525c24c842c9cff5663d
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <3ee7b3f813b11f28cd6efdf7f24d64b5a7fd4dc7
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <630295d5bba1d0e0f494cc459452eb0a0058c545
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <8720df4504e0ed1781a702f65251bd47b3534d5e
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <a375d8ace807767f29f276b681b6324c74929b1d
- Affected versionversion=a5d45bc0dc50f9dd83703510e9804d813a9cac32 <b19b5d2e042c294e2cc1c908dc598f9d64015396
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
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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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