CVE-2026-74624: netfilter: nf_conntrack: defer invalid log until after unlock

Severity: high (CVSS 7.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.5% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-08-22 · updated 2026-10-16

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack: defer invalid log until after unlock TCP and SCTP conntrack paths can emit invalid-packet logs while ct->lock is still held. When invalid logging is routed to nfnetlink_log and conntrack export is enabled, the log path can re-enter conntrack netlink glue and dump the same conntrack again. Protocol attribute dumping may take ct->lock, so logging while holding that lock can deadlock. Defer the TCP invalid logs by storing only the minimal log context while ct->lock is held and emitting the log after unlocking. Also make the TCP timeout-lowering invalid path return whether a log is needed, then emit that log after unlocking. Do the same for the SCTP invalid state-transition log that can be reached while ct->lock is held. Add a lockdep assertion to nf_ct_l4proto_log_invalid() so future callers that log invalid conntracks while holding ct->lock are caught outside TCP and SCTP as well.

Affected products

Linux kernel: 6.1 — fixed in 7.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 7.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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