CVE-2026-74564

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel, specifically within the netfilter xt_hashlimit module. Improper validation of the XT_HASHLIMIT_RATE_MATCH flag can lead to uninitialized access to memory. This occurs when multiple rules refer to the same hashtable or when the flag is used with an older revision, potentially allowing an attacker to cause a denial of service or information disclosure.

This flaw is rated with a Moderate severity because successful exploitation requires administrative privileges (CAP_NET_ADMIN) to define conflicting netfilter rule sets sharing a single hash table. In typical Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments, unprivileged users cannot manipulate iptables configurations unless explicitly granted elevated permissions or network administration access in user namespaces. Consequently, the primary risk is confined to environments hosting semi-trusted workloads with delegated network capabilities, where uninitialized memory reads can lead to kernel memory leakage or altered packet-filtering verdicts rather than host-wide disruption.

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.