CVE-2026-72255: netfilter: nf_queue: pin bridge device while NFQUEUE holds fake dst

Published Aug 15, 2026
·
Updated

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

netfilter: nfqueue: pin bridge device while NFQUEUE holds fake dst

The brnetfilter fake rtable is embedded in struct netbridge and is attached to bridged packets with skbdstsetnoref(). If such a packet is queued to NFQUEUE, nfqueue() upgrades that fake dst with skbdstforce().

At that point the queued skb can hold a real dst reference after bridge teardown has started. The problem is not that every bridged packet needs its own dst reference. The problem is that NFQUEUE can keep the bridge private fake dst alive after unregister begins.

Fix this by keeping the bridge fake dst model unchanged and pinning the bridge master device only while the packet sits in NFQUEUE. Record the bridge device in nfqueueentry when the queued skb carries a bridge fake dst, take a device reference for the queue lifetime, and drop it when the queue entry is freed.

Also make sure queued entries are reaped when that bridge device goes down, and drop the redundant nfbridgeinfoexists() test from the fake dst detection.

This keeps netdevpriv(br->dev) alive until verdict completion, so the embedded fake rtable and its metrics backing storage cannot be freed out from under dstrelease(). It also avoids the constant refcount bump and avoids using ipv4-specific dst helpers for IPv6 bridge traffic.

Affected Software

1 affected component
Linux Linux kernel

Event History

Aug 15, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:54 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:54 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:21 AM
DescriptionSeverity

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-72255?

CVE-2026-72255 has a risk level of 44, indicating a significant threat.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-72255?

To fix CVE-2026-72255, update your Linux kernel to the latest patched version.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-72255?

CVE-2026-72255 affects systems running a vulnerable version of the Linux kernel with netfilter configurations.

4

What are the potential impacts of CVE-2026-72255?

Exploitation of CVE-2026-72255 could allow an attacker to manipulate bridged network traffic.

5

Has CVE-2026-72255 been publicly disclosed?

Yes, CVE-2026-72255 was publicly disclosed on August 15, 2026.

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