CVE-2026-31429: net: skb: fix cross-cache free of KFENCE-allocated skb head

Published Apr 20, 2026
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: skb: fix cross-cache free of KFENCE-allocated skb head

SKBSMALLHEADCACHESIZE is intentionally set to a non-power-of-2 value (e.g. 704 on x8664) to avoid collisions with generic kmalloc bucket sizes. This ensures that skbkfreehead() can reliably use skbendoffset to distinguish skb heads allocated from skbsmallheadcache vs. generic kmalloc caches.

However, when KFENCE is enabled, kfenceksize() returns the exact requested allocation size instead of the slab bucket size. If a caller (e.g. bpftestinit) allocates skb head data via kzalloc() and the requested size happens to equal SKBSMALLHEADCACHESIZE, then slabbuildskb() -> ksize() returns that exact value. After subtracting skbsharedinfo overhead, skbendoffset ends up matching SKBSMALLHEADHEADROOM, causing skbkfreehead() to incorrectly free the object to skbsmallheadcache instead of back to the original kmalloc cache, resulting in a slab cross-cache free:

kmemcachefree(skbuffsmallhead): Wrong slab cache. Expected skbuffsmallhead but got kmalloc-1k

Fix this by always calling kfree(head) in skbkfreehead(). This keeps the free path generic and avoids allocator-specific misclassification for KFENCE objects.

Affected Software

162 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=6.3<6.6.136
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.82
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.18.23
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<6.19.13
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc6
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc7
debian/linux
6.1.176-16.1.190-16.12.107-16.12.115-27.2.12-17.2.15-1
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*
ubuntu/linux-gcp*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-hwe*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-oem*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-intel-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.10*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.6*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-raspi2*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8<6.8.0-1061.64~22.04.1
6.8.0-1061.64~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8<6.8.0-1063.71~22.04.1
6.8.0-1063.71~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8<6.8.0-1062.69~22.04.1
6.8.0-1062.69~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8<6.8.0-1064.72~22.04.1
6.8.0-1064.72~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.8<6.8.0-136.136~22.04.1
6.8.0-136.136~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8<6.8.0-1061.62~22.04.1
6.8.0-1061.62~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8<6.8.0-136.136.2~22.04.1
6.8.0-136.136.2~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8<6.8.0-1059.62~22.04.1
6.8.0-1059.62~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.0*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.1*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8<6.8.0-1058.61~22.04.1
6.8.0-1058.61~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8<6.8.0-136.136~22.04.3
6.8.0-136.136~22.04.3
ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8<6.8.1-1056.57~22.04.2
6.8.1-1056.57~22.04.2
ubuntu/linux<6.8.0-136.136
6.8.0-136.136
ubuntu/linux-aws<6.8.0-1061.64
6.8.0-1061.64
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure<6.8.0-1063.71
6.8.0-1063.71
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<6.8.0-1062.69
6.8.0-1062.69
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp<6.8.0-1064.72
6.8.0-1064.72
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gke<6.8.0-1059.67
6.8.0-1059.67
ubuntu/linux-gkeop<6.8.0-1046.50
6.8.0-1046.50
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-ibm<6.8.0-1061.62
6.8.0-1061.62
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency<6.8.0-136.136.2
6.8.0-136.136.2
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia<6.8.0-1059.62
6.8.0-1059.62
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency<6.8.0-1059.62.1
6.8.0-1059.62.1
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra<6.8.0-1030.31
6.8.0-1030.31
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oracle<6.8.0-1058.61
6.8.0-1058.61
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-raspi<6.8.0-1061.65
6.8.0-1061.65
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-xilinx<6.8.0-1033.34
6.8.0-1033.34
ubuntu/linux-bluefield<6.8.0-1028.33
6.8.0-1028.33
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime<6.8.0-2050.52
6.8.0-2050.52
ubuntu/linux-realtime<6.8.1-1056.57
6.8.1-1056.57
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<6.8.0-1061.64+fips1
6.8.0-1061.64+fips1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<6.8.0-1063.71+fips2
6.8.0-1063.71+fips2
ubuntu/linux-fips<6.8.0-136.136+fips2
6.8.0-136.136+fips2
ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips<6.8.0-1064.72+fips1
6.8.0-1064.72+fips1
ubuntu/linux*
ubuntu/linux-aws*
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gcp*
ubuntu/linux-oracle*
ubuntu/linux-raspi*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia<7.0.0-1006.6
7.0.0-1006.6

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.190-1Fixed in 6.12.107-1Fixed in 6.12.115-2Fixed in 7.2.12-1Fixed in 7.2.15-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1061.64~22.04.1
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1063.71~22.04.1
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1062.69~22.04.1
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1064.72~22.04.1
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-136.136~22.04.1
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1061.62~22.04.1
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-136.136.2~22.04.1
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1059.62~22.04.1
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1058.61~22.04.1
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-136.136~22.04.3
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.1-1056.57~22.04.2
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-136.136
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1061.64
  15. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1063.71
  16. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1062.69
  17. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1064.72
  18. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1059.67
  19. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gkeop to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.50
  20. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1061.62
  21. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-136.136.2
  22. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1059.62
  23. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1059.62.1
  24. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1030.31
  25. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1058.61
  26. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1061.65
  27. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-xilinx to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1033.34
  28. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-bluefield to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1028.33
  29. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-2050.52
  30. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.1-1056.57
  31. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1061.64+fips1
  32. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1063.71+fips2
  33. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-136.136+fips2
  34. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1064.72+fips1
  35. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1006.6
  36. Compensating control

    In the Linux kernel net/skb code, change skb_kfree_head() to always call kfree(head) so KFENCE-allocated skb heads are returned to the original kmalloc cache instead of skb_small_head_cache.

Event History

Apr 20, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:43 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:43 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via OSV·10:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Event
via OSV·10:16 AM
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:16 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Apr 24, 2026
Exploit Published
via GitHub·06:30 AM

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-31429?

CVE-2026-31429 is classified as a medium severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-31429?

To fix CVE-2026-31429, you should update your Linux kernel to the latest version where this vulnerability has been resolved.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-31429?

CVE-2026-31429 affects the Linux kernel across various distributions that utilize the affected skb management.

4

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-31429?

CVE-2026-31429 is a memory management vulnerability related to the freeing of KFENCE-allocated skb heads.

5

How does CVE-2026-31429 impact system security?

CVE-2026-31429 could potentially lead to undefined behavior or system crashes due to improper memory management in the Linux kernel.

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