CVE-2026-45859
Published: May 27, 2026· Updated: May 30, 2026
Official Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nfnetlink_queue: do shared-unconfirmed check before segmentation
Ulrich reports a regression with nfqueue:
If an application did not set the 'F_GSO' capability flag and a gso
packet with an unconfirmed nf_conn entry is received all packets are
now dropped instead of queued, because the check happens after
skb_gso_segment(). In that case, we did have exclusive ownership
of the skb and its associated conntrack entry. The elevated use
count is due to skb_clone happening via skb_gso_segment().
Move the check so that its peformed vs. the aggregated packet.
Then, annotate the individual segments except the first one so we
can do a 2nd check at reinject time.
For the normal case, where userspace does in-order reinjects, this avoids
packet drops: first reinjected segment continues traversal and confirms
entry, remaining segments observe the confirmed entry.
While at it, simplify nf_ct_drop_unconfirmed(): We only care about
unconfirmed entries with a refcnt > 1, there is no need to special-case
dying entries.
This only happens with UDP. With TCP, the only unconfirmed packet will
be the TCP SYN, those aren't aggregated by GRO.
Next patch adds a udpgro test case to cover this scenario.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-45859 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.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (4)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-45859 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts