CVE-2026-74268

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: clear sock_ops cb flags before force-closing a child socket A child socket inherits the listener's bpf_sock_ops_cb_flags via sk_clone_lock(). If its setup fails in tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock() / tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock(), the child is freed through put_and_exit, where inet_csk_prepare_forced_close() drops the socket lock and tcp_done() runs without it. If BPF_SOCK_OPS_STATE_CB_FLAG was inherited, tcp_done() -> tcp_set_state() calls tcp_call_bpf(), which expects the lock and trips sock_owned_by_me(): WARNING: include/net/sock.h:1799 at tcp_set_state+0x433/0x550 RIP: 0010:tcp_set_state+0x433/0x550 include/net/sock.h:1799 Call Trace: <IRQ> tcp_done+0xba/0x250 net/ipv4/tcp.c:5095 tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock+0x850/0xa50 net/ipv4/tcp_ipv4.c:1787 tcp_check_req+0xf30/0x1360 net/ipv4/tcp_minisocks.c:926 tcp_v4_rcv+0x1047/0x1b50 net/ipv4/tcp_ipv4.c:2164 </IRQ> The child is freed before it is ever established, so it should run no sock_ops callback. Clear its cb flags in inet_csk_prepare_for_destroy_sock(), the common point for the IPv4, IPv6 and chtls forced-close paths and for the MPTCP ->syn_recv_sock() failure path (dispose_child), which reaches tcp_done() on a child that was never established too.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-08-15
Last modified 2026-08-15
Patch available
Yes

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 4.16 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2-rc1 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 4.16
Fixed in
✓ 6.18.40 6.18.x ✓ 7.1.5 7.1.x ✓ 7.2-rc1

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-74268?

    CVE-2026-74268 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 4.16 onward and has been patched in 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and 7.2-rc1. CVE-2026-74268 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-74268?

    Yes. CVE-2026-74268 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and 7.2-rc1. If you are running Linux kernel 4.16 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-74268 actively exploited?

    No. CVE-2026-74268 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.