Bug 2502501 (CVE-2026-64079)

Summary: CVE-2026-64079 kernel: netfilter: x_tables: allocate hook ops while under mutex
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security <prodsec-ir-bot>
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Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: medium    
Version: unspecifiedCC: rhel-process-autobot, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
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Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's netfilter x_tables component. A race condition occurs when a network namespace (netns) table is registered, making it visible with a null operations (ops) pointer. If a pernet exit operation runs concurrently, it can attempt to unregister the table using this null pointer, leading to a null dereference. This vulnerability can be exploited by a local attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) by crashing the system.
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-07-19 17:02:49 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: x_tables: allocate hook ops while under mutex

arp/ip(6)t_register_table() add the table to the per-netns list via
xt_register_table() before allocating the per-netns hook ops copy
via kmemdup_array().  This leaves a window where the table is
visible in the list with ops=NULL.

If the pernet exit happens runs concurrently the pre_exit callback finds
the table via xt_find_table() and passes the NULL ops pointer to
nf_unregister_net_hooks(), causing a NULL dereference:

  general protection fault in nf_unregister_net_hooks+0xbc/0x150
  RIP: nf_unregister_net_hooks (net/netfilter/core.c:613)
  Call Trace:
    ipt_unregister_table_pre_exit
    iptable_mangle_net_pre_exit
    ops_pre_exit_list
    cleanup_net

Fix by moving the ops allocation into the xtables core so the table is
never in the list without valid ops.  Also ensure the table is no longer
processing packets before its torn down on error unwind.
nf_register_net_hooks might have published at least one hook; call
synchronize_rcu() if there was an error.

audit log register message gets deferred until all operations have
passed, this avoids need to emit another ureg message in case of
error unwinding.

Based on earlier patch by Tristan Madani.