Use After Free in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-23272
Published: March 20, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU124176
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-23272
CWE-ID: CWE-416
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vendor: Linux Foundation
Affected software:
Linux kernel
Linux kernel
Detailed vulnerability description
The vulnerability allows a local user to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, and cause a denial of service.
The vulnerability exists due to a use-after-free in the netfilter nf_tables component when handling set element insertion in a full set. A local user can send a specially crafted request to trigger improper RCU handling, leading to a use-after-free condition.
Exploitation requires non-administrative local privileges and does not require user interaction. The vulnerability occurs during normal operation of netfilter rules with full sets.
How to mitigate CVE-2026-23272
Install security update from vendor's repository.