CVE-2026-31665

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's netfilter connection tracking (nf_conntrack) component. This vulnerability is a use-after-free error, occurring when a timeout object is deallocated prematurely without waiting for an RCU (Read-Copy-Update) grace period. This allows concurrent packet processing to access memory that has already been freed. An attacker could exploit this timing issue to cause a system crash, leading to a denial of service.

nftables connection-tracking timeout objects could be destroyed while references remained, causing UAF in teardown. Red Hat advises nftables users to consume fixed kernels; broad nft/nf_tables unload is rarely practical on firewalled hosts.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.