net/sched: act_ct: fix helper UAF due to extensions realloc
While calling the helpers, a raw pointer to the extensions area is
wired into expectations list:
-> nf_ct_helper()
-> helper->help()
-> nf_ct_expect_related_report()
-> nf_ct_expect_insert()
-> hlist_add_head_rcu(&exp->lnode, &master_help->expectations)
In case the connection is not confirmed yet, more extensions can be
added afterwards with *_ext_add() calls reallocating the extension
space and leaving the now invalid pointer in the expectations list
that is later accessed while removing the expectation.
Make sure that helpers are called at the end after all the other
extensions are already added.
Note that the helper rejection now leaves the mark and labels set,
but that's not different from how the NAT was handled before or how
the mark and the labels were handled on confirmation failure. And
there are no atomicity guarantees provided by the API anyway.
Analysis
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Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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No data.
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No data available yet.
No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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Sun, 18 Oct 2026 15:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: act_ct: fix helper UAF due to extensions realloc While calling the helpers, a raw pointer to the extensions area is wired into expectations list: -> nf_ct_helper() -> helper->help() -> nf_ct_expect_related_report() -> nf_ct_expect_insert() -> hlist_add_head_rcu(&exp->lnode, &master_help->expectations) In case the connection is not confirmed yet, more extensions can be added afterwards with *_ext_add() calls reallocating the extension space and leaving the now invalid pointer in the expectations list that is later accessed while removing the expectation. Make sure that helpers are called at the end after all the other extensions are already added. Note that the helper rejection now leaves the mark and labels set, but that's not different from how the NAT was handled before or how the mark and the labels were handled on confirmation failure. And there are no atomicity guarantees provided by the API anyway. | |
| Title | net/sched: act_ct: fix helper UAF due to extensions realloc | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-10-18T15:14:52.614Z
Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.349Z
Link: CVE-2026-98442
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-10-18T16:16:54.503
Modified: 2026-10-18T16:16:54.503
Link: CVE-2026-98442
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
No weakness.