Local XDP program constraints bypass via link update
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 18, 2026
Improper validation in the Linux kernel allows local users to bypass XDP program constraints through a BPF link update. bpf_xdp_link_update() calls dev_xdp_install() directly, bypassing checks in dev_xdp_attach() before replacing a normal XDP program with an offloaded or device-bound program. Creating and updating the XDP link requires privileged local access, and the published record identifies no consequence beyond placing the mismatched program on the software path.
Summary
What happened
Improper validation in the Linux kernel allows local users to bypass XDP program constraints through a BPF link update. bpf_xdp_link_update() calls dev_xdp_install() directly, bypassing checks in dev_xdp_attach() before replacing a normal XDP program with an offloaded or device-bound program. Creating and updating the XDP link requires privileged local access, and the published record identifies no consequence beyond placing the mismatched program on the software path.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90146
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 18, 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=026a4c28e1db3b0cb99cd9a3e495d4a8b632fa74 <03022dd874070768a7099f18b1944c633641315f
- Affected versionversion=026a4c28e1db3b0cb99cd9a3e495d4a8b632fa74 <ad27ed7d2309419a129078d781504f486b1b469a
- Affected versionversion=026a4c28e1db3b0cb99cd9a3e495d4a8b632fa74 <ea7b35dcc9430293b861bc7bad0c546f193c85f9
- Affected versionversion=5.9
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
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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