CVE-2026-23111
EUVD-2026-617013.02.2026, 14:16
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nf_tables: fix inverted genmask check in nft_map_catchall_activate()
nft_map_catchall_activate() has an inverted element activity check
compared to its non-catchall counterpart nft_mapelem_activate() and
compared to what is logically required.
nft_map_catchall_activate() is called from the abort path to re-activate
catchall map elements that were deactivated during a failed transaction.
It should skip elements that are already active (they don't need
re-activation) and process elements that are inactive (they need to be
restored). Instead, the current code does the opposite: it skips inactive
elements and processes active ones.
Compare the non-catchall activate callback, which is correct:
nft_mapelem_activate():
if (nft_set_elem_active(ext, iter->genmask))
return 0; /* skip active, process inactive */
With the buggy catchall version:
nft_map_catchall_activate():
if (!nft_set_elem_active(ext, genmask))
continue; /* skip inactive, process active */
The consequence is that when a DELSET operation is aborted,
nft_setelem_data_activate() is never called for the catchall element.
For NFT_GOTO verdict elements, this means nft_data_hold() is never
called to restore the chain->use reference count. Each abort cycle
permanently decrements chain->use. Once chain->use reaches zero,
DELCHAIN succeeds and frees the chain while catchall verdict elements
still reference it, resulting in a use-after-free.
This is exploitable for local privilege escalation from an unprivileged
user via user namespaces + nftables on distributions that enable
CONFIG_USER_NS and CONFIG_NF_TABLES.
Fix by removing the negation so the check matches nft_mapelem_activate():
skip active elements, process inactive ones.EnginsightAffected Products (NVD)
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 4.19.316 ≤ 𝑥 < 4.20 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 5.4.262 ≤ 𝑥 < 5.5 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 5.10.188 ≤ 𝑥 < 5.11 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 5.15.121 ≤ 𝑥 < 5.15.200 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.1.36 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.1.163 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.3.10 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.4 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.4.1 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.6.124 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.7 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.12.70 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.13 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.18.10 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.4 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc1 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc2 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc3 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc4 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc5 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc6 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc7 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19:rc8 |
𝑥
= Vulnerable software versions
Debian Releases
Common Weakness Enumeration
Vulnerability Media Exposure
References