CVE-2026-80994

Kernel crash via freed flow mask access

Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux Open vSwitch flow deletion allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash the kernel through a timing race. ovs_flow_cmd_del removes a flow before ovs_flow_cmd_fill_info reads flow->mask, allowing an RCU grace period to free the mask first. Reaching the flaw requires a privileged OVS_FLOW_CMD_DEL operation and favorable race timing; the demonstrated consequence is a host kernel crash.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux Open vSwitch flow deletion allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash the kernel through a timing race. ovs_flow_cmd_del removes a flow before ovs_flow_cmd_fill_info reads flow->mask, allowing an RCU grace period to free the mask first. Reaching the flaw requires a privileged OVS_FLOW_CMD_DEL operation and favorable race timing; the demonstrated consequence is a host kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-80994
Published
Sep 11, 2026
Updated
Sep 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 11, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.16
  2. Affected versionversion=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <0ba5cbc2f049af94ec94ff6f64958545efc5eaa2
  3. Affected versionversion=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <4e30317ff67a2eb12b4d890d39f72fd7e7117d48
  4. Affected versionversion=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <7f072b84afd05a77963eb1872f7174e280661dce
  5. Affected versionversion=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <ac73e3af571da06c1d1cfe3f0f00dc978b851700

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.16; version=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <0ba5cbc2f049af94ec94ff6f64958545efc5eaa2; version=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <4e30317ff67a2eb12b4d890d39f72fd7e7117d48; version=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <7f072b84afd05a77963eb1872f7174e280661dce; version=56c19868e115fcf8d62d843e1b9616bb9837d0db <ac73e3af571da06c1d1cfe3f0f00dc978b851700

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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