CVE-2026-98370: xfrm: fix compat ALLOCSPI request use-after-free

Severity: unknown
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-10-06 · updated 2026-10-19

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: fix compat ALLOCSPI request use-after-free xfrm_state_netlink() builds the ALLOCSPI response with dump_one_state(), which already calls alloc_compat() with the response skb and header. xfrm_alloc_userspi() then calls alloc_compat() again, but passes the original request skb and its header. For a compat request, the translator therefore interprets the 228-byte compat xfrm_userspi_info as the 232-byte native layout and reads four bytes past the declared payload. It also publishes the translated child through the request's frag_list. A multicast clone of the request shares skb_shared_info and can observe that child. xfrm_user_rcv_msg() frees it after the request handler returns, racing a compat receiver which may still be copying from it and resulting in a use-after-free. Remove the redundant conversion. The response keeps its correct compat translation from dump_one_state(), and no child is attached to the inbound request.

Affected products

Linux kernel: 5.10 — fixed in 7.3

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 7.3. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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