CVE-2026-53239

xfrm: policy: fix use-after-free on inexact bin in xfrm_policy_bysel_ctx()

Published Jun 25, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

xfrm: policy: fix use-after-free on inexact bin in xfrm_policy_bysel_ctx()

Fix the race by pruning the bin while still holding xfrm_policy_lock,
before dropping it. Use __xfrm_policy_inexact_prune_bin() directly since
the lock is already held. The wrapper xfrm_policy_inexact_prune_bin()
becomes unused and is removed.

Race:

CPU0 (XFRM_MSG_DELPOLICY) CPU1 (XFRM_MSG_NEWSPDINFO)
========================== ==========================
xfrm_policy_bysel_ctx():
spin_lock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock)
bin = xfrm_policy_inexact_lookup()
__xfrm_policy_unlink(pol)
spin_unlock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock)
xfrm_policy_kill(ret)
// wide window, lock not held
xfrm_hash_rebuild():
spin_lock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock)
__xfrm_policy_inexact_flush():
kfree_rcu(bin) // bin freed
spin_unlock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock)
xfrm_policy_inexact_prune_bin(bin)
// UAF: bin is freed

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4664-1 linux security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4665-1 linux security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4671-1 linux-6.1 security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8727-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8760-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-2 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8781-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-3 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8800-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA BaseOS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8760-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8726-4 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-3 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8876-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8875-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8877-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8878-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8879-1 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8903-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8904-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8905-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8906-1 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8875-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8903-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8905-2 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9025-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9029-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9066-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-362
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-364
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: policy: fix use-after-free on inexact bin in xfrm_policy_bysel_ctx() Fix the race by pruning the bin while still holding xfrm_policy_lock, before dropping it. Use __xfrm_policy_inexact_prune_bin() directly since the lock is already held. The wrapper xfrm_policy_inexact_prune_bin() becomes unused and is removed. Race: CPU0 (XFRM_MSG_DELPOLICY) CPU1 (XFRM_MSG_NEWSPDINFO) ========================== ========================== xfrm_policy_bysel_ctx(): spin_lock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock) bin = xfrm_policy_inexact_lookup() __xfrm_policy_unlink(pol) spin_unlock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock) xfrm_policy_kill(ret) // wide window, lock not held xfrm_hash_rebuild(): spin_lock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock) __xfrm_policy_inexact_flush(): kfree_rcu(bin) // bin freed spin_unlock_bh(xfrm_policy_lock) xfrm_policy_inexact_prune_bin(bin) // UAF: bin is freed
Title xfrm: policy: fix use-after-free on inexact bin in xfrm_policy_bysel_ctx()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Nov 10, 2026, 12:48 PM
Reserved
Jun 9, 2026, 7:44 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Jun 25, 2026, 9:16 AM
Modified
Nov 10, 2026, 1:19 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Jun 25, 2026, 12:00 AM