CVE-2026-31700

High

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/packet: fix TOCTOU race on mmap'd vnet_hdr in tpacket_snd() In tpacket_snd(), when PACKET_VNET_HDR is enabled, vnet_hdr points directly into the mmap'd TX ring buffer shared with userspace. The kernel validates the header via __packet_snd_vnet_parse() but then re-reads all fields later in virtio_net_hdr_to_skb(). A concurrent userspace thread can modify the vnet_hdr fields between validation and use, bypassing all safety checks. The non-TPACKET path (packet_snd()) already correctly copies vnet_hdr to a stack-local variable. All other vnet_hdr consumers in the kernel (tun.c, tap.c, virtio_net.c) also use stack copies. The TPACKET TX path is the only caller of virtio_net_hdr_to_skb() that reads directly from user-controlled shared memory. Fix this by copying vnet_hdr from the mmap'd ring buffer to a stack-local variable before validation and use, consistent with the approach used in packet_snd() and all other callers.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-05-01
Last modified 2026-05-06
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-2026-31700 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 4.6 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.6.136, 6.12.84, 6.18.25, 7.0.2, 7.1-rc1 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 4.6
Fixed in
✓ 6.6.136 6.6.x ✓ 6.12.84 6.12.x ✓ 6.18.25 6.18.x ✓ 7.0.2 7.0.x ✓ 7.1-rc1

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-31700 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-31700?

    CVE-2026-31700 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 4.6 onward and has been patched in 6.6.136, 6.12.84, 6.18.25 and others. CVE-2026-31700 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-31700?

    CVE-2026-31700 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-2026-31700?

    Yes — CVE-2026-31700 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.6.136, 6.12.84, 6.18.25 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 4.6 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-31700 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2026-31700 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 →