In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nf_tables: fix use-after-free in nf_tables_addchain()
nf_tables_addchain() publishes the chain to table->chains via
list_add_tail_rcu() (in nft_chain_add()) before registering hooks.
If nf_tables_register_hook() then fails, the error path calls
nft_chain_del() (list_del_rcu()) followed by nf_tables_chain_destroy()
with no RCU grace period in between.
This creates two use-after-free conditions:
1) Control-plane: nf_tables_dump_chains() traverses table->chains
under rcu_read_lock(). A concurrent dump can still be walking
the chain when the error path frees it.
2) Packet path: for NFPROTO_INET, nf_register_net_hook() briefly
installs the IPv4 hook before IPv6 registration fails. Packets
entering nft_do_chain() via the transient IPv4 hook can still be
dereferencing chain->blob_gen_X when the error path frees the
chain.
Add synchronize_rcu() between nft_chain_del() and the chain destroy
so that all RCU readers -- both dump threads and in-flight packet
evaluation -- have finished before the chain is freed.
netfilter: nf_tables: fix use-after-free in nf_tables_addchain()
nf_tables_addchain() publishes the chain to table->chains via
list_add_tail_rcu() (in nft_chain_add()) before registering hooks.
If nf_tables_register_hook() then fails, the error path calls
nft_chain_del() (list_del_rcu()) followed by nf_tables_chain_destroy()
with no RCU grace period in between.
This creates two use-after-free conditions:
1) Control-plane: nf_tables_dump_chains() traverses table->chains
under rcu_read_lock(). A concurrent dump can still be walking
the chain when the error path frees it.
2) Packet path: for NFPROTO_INET, nf_register_net_hook() briefly
installs the IPv4 hook before IPv6 registration fails. Packets
entering nft_do_chain() via the transient IPv4 hook can still be
dereferencing chain->blob_gen_X when the error path frees the
chain.
Add synchronize_rcu() between nft_chain_del() and the chain destroy
so that all RCU readers -- both dump threads and in-flight packet
evaluation -- have finished before the chain is freed.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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Advisories
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Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| References |
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Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: fix use-after-free in nf_tables_addchain() nf_tables_addchain() publishes the chain to table->chains via list_add_tail_rcu() (in nft_chain_add()) before registering hooks. If nf_tables_register_hook() then fails, the error path calls nft_chain_del() (list_del_rcu()) followed by nf_tables_chain_destroy() with no RCU grace period in between. This creates two use-after-free conditions: 1) Control-plane: nf_tables_dump_chains() traverses table->chains under rcu_read_lock(). A concurrent dump can still be walking the chain when the error path frees it. 2) Packet path: for NFPROTO_INET, nf_register_net_hook() briefly installs the IPv4 hook before IPv6 registration fails. Packets entering nft_do_chain() via the transient IPv4 hook can still be dereferencing chain->blob_gen_X when the error path frees the chain. Add synchronize_rcu() between nft_chain_del() and the chain destroy so that all RCU readers -- both dump threads and in-flight packet evaluation -- have finished before the chain is freed. | |
| Title | netfilter: nf_tables: fix use-after-free in nf_tables_addchain() | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-03-04T13:16:12.882Z
Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:37:45.988Z
Link: CVE-2026-23231
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-03-04T13:15:58.137
Modified: 2026-03-04T14:16:14.530
Link: CVE-2026-23231
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.