CVE-2026-53001

A flaw was identified in the Linux kernel's netfilter xtables component. This vulnerability allowed certain network filtering rules, specifically those involving xt_mac, xt_owner, xt_physdev, and xt_realm matches, to be applied outside of their intended internet protocol (IPv4 and IPv6) contexts. This could enable an attacker to bypass established network security policies, potentially leading to unauthorized network access or unintended packet processing.

This vulnerability is classified as Low severity for Red Hat Enterprise Linux because manipulating packet filtering extensions requires local administrative access or CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges, substantially bounding the threat. Standard userspace firewall utilities and bridging tools like ebtables do not utilize these specific match extensions across non-inet protocols by default, rendering unintentional exposure unlikely on standard systems. Consequently, the issue does not permit remote code execution or privilege escalation, affecting only local policy boundaries where malformed filtering definitions are deliberately applied.

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.