CVE-2026-97611 (CVSS 7.8)

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: openvswitch: fix use-after-free of the flow table mask array tbl_mask_array_realloc() retires the old mask_array before it stops being reachable: old = ovsl_dereference(tbl->mask_array); if (old) { ... call_rcu(&old->rcu, mask_array_rcu_cb); } rcu_assign_pointer(tbl->mask_array, new); call_rcu() only waits for read-side critical sections already in flight. tbl->mask_array still points at old between the call_rcu() and the rcu_assign_pointer(), so a reader entering ovs_flow_tbl_lookup_stats() in that window picks up old in a fresh critical section that the pending grace period does not cover. tbl_mask_array_realloc() runs in process context under ovs_mutex, so the window is preemptible and can outlast the grace period. Then mask_array_rcu_cb() frees old before the swap runs: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in flow_lookup.constprop.0+0x2bf/0x2f0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff888020b3e018 by task poc/741 flow_lookup.constprop.0+0x2bf/0x2f0 ovs_flow_tbl_lookup_stats+0x4a3/0x5c0 ovs_dp_process_packet+0x19c/0x710 ovs_vport_receive+0x243/0x390 internal_dev_xmit+0x81/0x170 Freed by task 728: kfree+0x16a/0x4e0 rcu_core+0x853/0x1030 Publish the new array before retiring the old one. The kfree_rcu() that call_rcu() replaced ran after the swap.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0016

Probability of exploitation

0.04%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

References

Other References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/035e9c3722067648a99010711d0ce81f42572ef4 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a0d18d21d48a551f82ee344e50efb8a682161489 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba4ba11ed6eb8972c69070417fc27b48deb002e8 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd982e11684def5d4a9fcfd5354de09032828414

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-97611? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: openvswitch: fix use-after-free of the flow table mask array tbl_mask_array_realloc() retires the old mask_array before it stops being reachable: old = ovsl_dereference(tbl->mask_array); if (old) { ... call_rcu(&old->rcu, mask_array_rcu_cb); } rcu_assign_pointer(tbl->mask_array, new); call_rcu() only waits for read-side critical sections already in flight. tbl->mask_array still points at old between the call_rcu() and the rcu_assign_pointer(), so a reader entering ovs_flow_tbl_lookup_stats() in that window picks up old in a fresh critical section that the pending grace period does not cover. tbl_mask_array_realloc() runs in process context under ovs_mutex, so the window is preemptible and can outlast the grace period. Then mask_array_rcu_cb() frees old before the swap runs: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in flow_lookup.constprop.0+0x2bf/0x2f0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff888020b3e018 by task poc/741 flow_lookup.constprop.0+0x2bf/0x2f0 ovs_flow_tbl_lookup_stats+0x4a3/0x5c0 ovs_dp_process_packet+0x19c/0x710 ovs_vport_receive+0x243/0x390 internal_dev_xmit+0x81/0x170 Freed by task 728: kfree+0x16a/0x4e0 rcu_core+0x853/0x1030 Publish the new array before retiring the old one. The kfree_rcu() that call_rcu() replaced ran after the swap. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-97611? +

CVE-2026-97611 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0016, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-97611? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

CVE-2026-97611