CVE-2026-31669
What it is
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mptcp: fix slab-use-after-free in __inet_lookup_established The ehash table lookups are lockless and rely on SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU to guarantee socket memory stability during RCU read-side critical sections. Both tcp_prot and tcpv6_prot have their slab caches created with this flag via proto_register(). However, MPTCP's mptcp_subflow_init() copies tcpv6_prot into tcpv6_prot_override during inet_init() (fs_initcall, level 5), before inet6_init() (module_init/device_initcall, level 6) has called proto_register(&tcpv6_prot). At that point, tcpv6_prot.slab is still NULL, so tcpv6_prot_override.slab remains NULL permanently. This causes MPTCP v6 subflow child sockets to be allocated via kmalloc (falling into kmalloc-4k) instead of the TCPv6 slab cache. The kmalloc-4k cache lacks SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU, so when these sockets are freed without SOCK_RCU_FREE (which is cleared for child sockets by design), the memory can be immediately reused. Concurrent ehash lookups under rcu_read_lock can then access freed memory, triggering a slab-use-after-free in __inet_lookup_established. Fix this by splitting the IPv6-specific initialization out of mptcp_subflow_init() into a new mptcp_subflow_v6_init(), called from mptcp_proto_v6_init() before protocol registration. This ensures tcpv6_prot_override.slab correctly inherits the SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU slab cache.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited over the network without logging in. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.
- Exploit odds
- 0.5% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.
Timeline
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 0.5% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 9.8 CRITICAL (CVSS).
- Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.5% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-416 · Use after free
- Record status
- Modified
Affected
- Linux Kernel < 5.15.203
- Linux Kernel < 6.1.169
- Linux Kernel < 6.6.135
- Linux Kernel < 6.12.82
- Linux Kernel < 6.18.23
- Linux Kernel < 6.19.13
- Linux Kernel 5.12
- Linux Kernel 7.0
Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 9.8
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-31669.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-31669. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
Fix and advisories
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/15fa9ead4d5e6b6b9c794e84144146c917f2cb62
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fd6547f5b8ac99687be6d937a0321efda760597
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b55b253907e7431210483519c5ad711a37dafa1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b313e9037d98c13938740e5ebda7852929366dff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb9c6aeb512f877cf397deb1e4526f646c70e4a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6e1f25fa5e733570f6d6fe37a4dfed2a0deba47
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb1f54b7d16f393b8b65d328410f78b4beea8fcc
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/15fa9ead4d5e6b6b9c794e84144146c917f2cb62
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fd6547f5b8ac99687be6d937a0321efda760597
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b55b253907e7431210483519c5ad711a37dafa1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b313e9037d98c13938740e5ebda7852929366dff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb9c6aeb512f877cf397deb1e4526f646c70e4a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6e1f25fa5e733570f6d6fe37a4dfed2a0deba47
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb1f54b7d16f393b8b65d328410f78b4beea8fcc
- 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-457936.html