CVE-2026-72451: xfrm: Fix xfrm state cache insertion race

Published Aug 15, 2026
·
Updated

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

xfrm: Fix xfrm state cache insertion race

The xfrm input state cache insertion code checks the validity of the state before acquiring the global xfrmstatelock. Thus it's possible for someone else to kill the state after it passed the validity check, and then the insertion will add the dead state to the cache.

Fix this by moving the validity check inside the lock.

This entire function is called on the input path, where BH must be off (e.g., the caller of this function xfrminput acquires its spinlocks without disabling BH).

So there is no need to disable BH here or take the RCU read lock. Remove both and replace them with an assertion that trips if BH is accidentally enabled on some future calling path.

Affected Software

162 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
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*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8*
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*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8*
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*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8*
ubuntu/linux<6.8.0-147.147
6.8.0-147.147
ubuntu/linux-aws<6.8.0-1067.70
6.8.0-1067.70
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0<7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure<6.8.0-1071.79
6.8.0-1071.79
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0<7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<6.8.0-1069.76
6.8.0-1069.76
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0<7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp<6.8.0-1071.79
6.8.0-1071.79
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0<7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gke<6.8.0-1066.74
6.8.0-1066.74
ubuntu/linux-gkeop<6.8.0-1052.56
6.8.0-1052.56
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0<7.0.0-34.34~24.04.1
7.0.0-34.34~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-ibm<6.8.0-1067.68
6.8.0-1067.68
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency<6.8.0-147.147.1
6.8.0-147.147.1
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra<6.8.0-1035.38
6.8.0-1035.38
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oracle<6.8.0-1064.67
6.8.0-1064.67
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0<7.0.0-1012.12~24.04.1
7.0.0-1012.12~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-raspi*
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0<7.0.0-34.34.1~24.04.1
7.0.0-34.34.1~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-xilinx*
ubuntu/linux-bluefield<6.8.0-1033.38
6.8.0-1033.38
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime<6.8.1-1062.63
6.8.1-1062.63
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<6.8.0-1067.70+fips1
6.8.0-1067.70+fips1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
ubuntu/linux-fips<6.8.0-147.147+fips1
6.8.0-147.147+fips1
ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips<6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
ubuntu/linux<7.0.0-34.34
7.0.0-34.34
ubuntu/linux-aws<7.0.0-1013.13
7.0.0-1013.13
ubuntu/linux-azure<7.0.0-1017.17
7.0.0-1017.17
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<7.0.0-1016.16
7.0.0-1016.16
ubuntu/linux-gcp<7.0.0-1013.13
7.0.0-1013.13
ubuntu/linux-gke<7.0.0-1007.8
7.0.0-1007.8
ubuntu/linux-ibm<7.0.0-1014.14
7.0.0-1014.14
ubuntu/linux-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-bos*
ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0<7.0.0-1014.14
7.0.0-1014.14
ubuntu/linux-oracle<7.0.0-1012.12
7.0.0-1012.12
ubuntu/linux-raspi<7.0.0-1020.20
7.0.0-1020.20
ubuntu/linux-realtime<7.0.0-34.34.1
7.0.0-34.34.1
ubuntu/linux-riscv<7.0.0-34.34.1
7.0.0-34.34.1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147
  2. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
  4. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
  6. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.76
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
  8. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
  10. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1066.74
  11. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1052.56
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-34.34~24.04.1
  13. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.68
  14. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147.1
  15. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1035.38
  16. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1064.67
  17. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1012.12~24.04.1
  18. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-34.34.1~24.04.1
  19. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1033.38
  20. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.1-1062.63
  21. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70+fips1
  22. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
  23. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147+fips1
  24. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
  25. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-34.34
  26. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13
  27. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17
  28. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.16
  29. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13
  30. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1007.8
  31. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14
  32. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14
  33. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1012.12
  34. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1020.20
  35. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-34.34.1
  36. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-34.34.1

Event History

Aug 15, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:56 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:56 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via OSV·06:22 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:22 AM
DescriptionSeverity

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-72451?

CVE-2026-72451 has a risk score of 27, indicating a notable severity.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-72451?

To fix CVE-2026-72451, ensure that your Linux kernel is updated to a version that includes the patch for this vulnerability.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-72451?

CVE-2026-72451 affects systems running certain versions of the Linux kernel that utilize the xfrm state cache.

4

What does CVE-2026-72451 impact?

CVE-2026-72451 impacts the xfrm input state cache insertion in the Linux kernel, potentially leading to race conditions.

5

When was CVE-2026-72451 published?

CVE-2026-72451 was published on August 15, 2026.

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