Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Affects Netfilter Component

CVE-2026-74565

What is CVE-2026-74565?

A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's netfilter component, where the nft_object rhltable was globally accessible. This design flaw can lead to a use-after-free condition when objects are released and immediately accessed again. The nft_obj_destroy() function releases these objects, allowing unauthorized access to them if previously released by an existing netns. This issue has been mitigated by making the rhltable specific to each table, which also addresses potential problems within the nft_rcv_nl_event() path. Furthermore, updates to the nft_obj_lookup() function are necessary to accommodate these changes.

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