Security Flaw in Linux Kernel Affecting Network Packet Processing

CVE-2026-80846

What is CVE-2026-80846?

A vulnerability exists within the Linux kernel's handling of ESP-in-TCP packets, where TCP traffic may be processed even after the original ingress interface has been removed. This occurs during scenarios such as veth or network namespace teardown, potentially leading to null pointer dereferences. To mitigate this issue, the kernel is configured to drop ESP-in-TCP packets when the ingress device cannot be resolved, maintaining system stability and ensuring packets only traverse the intended XFRM routing path.

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