CVE-2026-23316
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ipv4: fix ARM64 alignment fault in multipath hash seed `struct sysctl_fib_multipath_hash_seed` contains two u32 fields (user_seed and mp_seed), making it an 8-byte structure with a 4-byte alignment requirement. In `fib_multipath_hash_from_keys()`, the code evaluates the entire struct atomically via `READ_ONCE()`: mp_seed = READ_ONCE(net->ipv4.sysctl_fib_multipath_hash_seed).mp_seed; While this silently works on GCC by falling back to unaligned regular loads which the ARM64 kernel tolerates, it causes a fatal kernel panic when compiled with Clang and LTO enabled. Commit e35123d83ee3 ("arm64: lto: Strengthen READ_ONCE() to acquire when CONFIG_LTO=y") strengthens `READ_ONCE()` to use Load-Acquire instructions (`ldar` / `ldapr`) to prevent compiler reordering bugs under Clang LTO. Since the macro evaluates the full 8-byte struct, Clang emits a 64-bit `ldar` instruction. ARM64 architecture strictly requires `ldar` to be naturally aligned, thus executing it on a 4-byte aligned address triggers a strict Alignment Fault (FSC = 0x21). Fix the read side by moving the `READ_ONCE()` directly to the `u32` member, which emits a safe 32-bit `ldar Wn`. Furthermore, Eric Dumazet pointed out that `WRITE_ONCE()` on the entire struct in `proc_fib_multipath_hash_set_seed()` is also flawed. Analysis shows that Clang splits this 8-byte write into two separate 32-bit `str` instructions. While this avoids an alignment fault, it destroys atomicity and exposes a tear-write vulnerability. Fix this by explicitly splitting the write into two 32-bit `WRITE_ONCE()` operations. Finally, add the missing `READ_ONCE()` when reading `user_seed` in `proc_fib_multipath_hash_seed()` to ensure proper pairing and concurrency safety.
CVSS 3.1 score
5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.11
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.12.77,
6.18.17,
6.19.7,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-23316 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bdc94d45d5459f0149085dfc1efe733c8e14f11
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ee7fa6cf78ff26d783d39e2949d14c4c1cd5e7f
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/607e923a3c1b2120de430b3dcde25ed8ad213c0a
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-23316?
CVE-2026-23316 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.11 onward and has been patched in 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.7 and others. CVE-2026-23316 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-23316?
CVE-2026-23316 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-23316?
Yes — CVE-2026-23316 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.7 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 6.11 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-23316 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-23316 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.