CVE-2026-31516

High

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: prevent policy_hthresh.work from racing with netns teardown A XFRM_MSG_NEWSPDINFO request can queue the per-net work item policy_hthresh.work onto the system workqueue. The queued callback, xfrm_hash_rebuild(), retrieves the enclosing struct net via container_of(). If the net namespace is torn down before that work runs, the associated struct net may already have been freed, and xfrm_hash_rebuild() may then dereference stale memory. xfrm_policy_fini() already flushes policy_hash_work during teardown, but it does not synchronize policy_hthresh.work. Synchronize policy_hthresh.work in xfrm_policy_fini() as well, so the queued work cannot outlive the net namespace teardown and access a freed struct net.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-04-22
Last modified 2026-04-28
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

7.8

out of 10
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-362

CVE-2026-31516 is a Race Condition vulnerability

What is Race Condition?

The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, creating unexpected states. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 3.18 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.12.80, 6.18.21, 6.19.11, 7.0 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 3.18
Fixed in
✓ 6.12.80 6.12.x ✓ 6.18.21 6.18.x ✓ 6.19.11 6.19.x ✓ 7.0

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-31516 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

4 patch commits total View all on NVD

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-31516?

    CVE-2026-31516 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as a Race Condition flaw (CWE-362) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 3.18 onward and has been patched in 6.12.80, 6.18.21, 6.19.11 and others. CVE-2026-31516 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-31516?

    CVE-2026-31516 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-31516?

    Yes — CVE-2026-31516 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.12.80, 6.18.21, 6.19.11 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 3.18 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-31516 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2026-31516 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is Race Condition (CWE-362)?

    The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, creating unexpected states. View CWE-362 on MITRE CWE →

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