Linux Kernel: Netfilter Vulnerability in Bitwise Operations

CVE-2026-46101

What is CVE-2026-46101?

A vulnerability within the Linux kernel's netfilter framework allows for the acceptance of malformed left and right shift expressions during initialization, specifically when zero shift operands are utilized. This misconfiguration could lead to undefined behavior and potential exploitation within the control plane. The implementation is designed to reject zero shift operands, ensuring that only valid expressions are processed, thereby preventing malformed rules from reaching the packet path. This fix enhances the security posture of systems relying on the Linux kernel.

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