CVE-2026-31472
Published: April 22, 2026· Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Official Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
xfrm: iptfs: validate inner IPv4 header length in IPTFS payload
Add validation of the inner IPv4 packet tot_len and ihl fields parsed
from decrypted IPTFS payloads in __input_process_payload(). A crafted
ESP packet containing an inner IPv4 header with tot_len=0 causes an
infinite loop: iplen=0 leads to capturelen=min(0, remaining)=0, so the
data offset never advances and the while(data < tail) loop never
terminates, spinning forever in softirq context.
Reject inner IPv4 packets where tot_len < ihl*4 or ihl*4 < sizeof(struct
iphdr), which catches both the tot_len=0 case and malformed ihl values.
The normal IP stack performs this validation in ip_rcv_core(), but IPTFS
extracts and processes inner packets before they reach that layer.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-31472 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (3)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-31472 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts