CVE-2026-3038
CWE-787Published: March 9, 2026· Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Official Description
The rtsock_msg_buffer() function serializes routing information into a buffer. As a part of this, it copies sockaddr structures into a sockaddr_storage structure on the stack. It assumes that the source sockaddr length field had already been validated, but this is not necessarily the case, and it's possible for a malicious userspace program to craft a request which triggers a 127-byte overflow.
In practice, this overflow immediately overwrites the canary for the rtsock_msg_buffer() stack frame, resulting in a panic once the function returns.
The bug allows an unprivileged user to crash the kernel by triggering a stack buffer overflow in rtsock_msg_buffer(). In particular, the overflow will corrupt a stack canary value that is verified when the function returns; this mitigates the impact of the stack overflow by triggering a kernel panic.
Other kernel bugs may exist which allow userspace to find the canary value and thus defeat the mitigation, at which point local privilege escalation may be possible.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-3038 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-787): Out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities can lead to data corruption, crashes, or arbitrary code execution.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (1)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-787)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-3038 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts