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CVE-2026-23111NVD
Vulnerability Summary
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.
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.
CVSS v3.1 Base Metrics — Score 7.8 (HIGH)
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
Affected & Patched Versions
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 4.19.316 and < 4.20
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 5.4.262 and < 5.5
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 5.10.188 and < 5.11
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 5.15.121 and < 5.15.200
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 6.1.36 and < 6.1.163
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 6.3.10 and < 6.4
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 6.4.1 and < 6.6.124
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 6.7 and < 6.12.70
- Linux Linux Kernel >= 6.13 and < 6.18.10
- Linux Linux Kernel
- Linux Linux Kernel 4.20
- Linux Linux Kernel 5.5
- Linux Linux Kernel 5.11
- Linux Linux Kernel 5.15.200
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.1.163
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.4
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.6.124
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.12.70
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.18.10
External References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1444ff890b4653add12f734ffeffc173d42862dd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/42c574c1504aa089a0a142e4c13859327570473d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b68a45f9722f2babe9e7bad00aa74638addf081
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c760ba4e36c750379d13569f23f5a6e185333f5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b9b6573421de51829f7ec1cce76d85f5f6fbbd7f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f41c5d151078c5348271ffaf8e7410d96f2d82f8
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10108
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10996
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:18134
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62639
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:62641
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:6570
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:9112
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-23111
- https://blog.exodusintel.com/2026/06/08/off-by-exploiting-a-use-after-free-in-the-linux-kernel/
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2439687
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-253495.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-23111.json