CVE-2026-53362
ipv6: account for fraggap on the paged allocation path
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: account for fraggap on the paged allocation path In __ip6_append_data(), when the paged-allocation branch is taken (MSG_MORE / NETIF_F_SG / large fraglen), alloclen and pagedlen are computed as alloclen = fragheaderlen + transhdrlen; pagedlen = datalen - transhdrlen; datalen already includes fraggap (datalen = length + fraggap). When fraggap is non-zero, this is not the first skb and transhdrlen is zero. The fraggap bytes carried over from the previous skb are copied just past the fragment headers in the new skb's linear area. The linear area is therefore undersized by fraggap bytes while pagedlen is overstated by the same amount, and the copy writes past skb->end into the trailing skb_shared_info. An unprivileged user can trigger this via a UDPv6 socket using MSG_MORE together with MSG_SPLICE_PAGES. The bad accounting was introduced by commit 773ba4fe9104 ("ipv6: avoid partial copy for zc"). Before commit ce650a166335 ("udp6: Fix __ip6_append_data()'s handling of MSG_SPLICE_PAGES"), the negative copy value caused -EINVAL to be returned. That later commit allowed MSG_SPLICE_PAGES to proceed in this case, making the corruption triggerable. The non-paged branch sets alloclen to fraglen, which already accounts for fraggap because datalen does. Bring the paged branch in line by adding fraggap to alloclen and subtracting it from pagedlen. After this adjustment, copy no longer collapses to -fraggap on the paged path, so remove the stale comment describing that old arithmetic. Since a negative copy is no longer expected for a valid MSG_SPLICE_PAGES case, remove the MSG_SPLICE_PAGES exception from the negative copy check.
In plain language
AI Act nowA vulnerability in the Linux kernel lets a low-privileged local user corrupt memory in IPv6 by sending special UDP packets, and it has been seen used in real attacks—so if you run Linux you should treat this as urgent and patch.
CVE-2026-53362 is an exploitable Linux kernel memory-corruption bug in the IPv6 UDP6 paged allocation/fraggap accounting path (triggered by fragmented IPv6 UDP traffic using MSG_MORE combined with MSG_SPLICE_PAGES by a low-privileged local user), with confirmed real-world exploitation reported and listed in CISA KEV.
What to do now
- Check whether your systems run Linux kernel versions older than 6.1.177 (or contain one of the listed fixes) and whether IPv6 is enabled.
- Identify the exact kernel version on each affected host (e.g., via your OS “kernel version”/“uname -r” output).
- Upgrade the Linux kernel to a fixed version: 6.1.177 (or the commit fixes listed by your distro for your kernel branch).
- If you can’t patch immediately, limit who can log in locally with standard user rights and restrict access to untrusted local users/containers until the kernel is updated.
- Verify after patching that the running kernel changed and review logs/alerts for unusual local activity involving UDPv6 traffic and privilege changes.
CVSS Vector Breakdown
AV:LAttack VectorAC:LAttack ComplexityPR:LPrivileges RequiredUI:NUser InteractionS:UScopeC:HConfidentialityI:HIntegrityA:HAvailabilityWeaknesses
Affected Products
Exploitability
Required action: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
Attack Graph
Click technique nodes for MITRE ATT&CK details · drag to pan · Ctrl/⌘ + scroll to zoom, or go fullscreen.
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniquesReferences
- ownCloud Flaw Exploited to Steal Nuclear Records From Philippine Research Bodyen·The Hacker News· Exploited ownCloud Chinese-speaking threat actor
- OpenAI Agents Exploited Linux Kernel Flaw on Company’s Own Systemsen-us·SecurityWeek· Exploited Linux Kernel ai-ml
- OpenAI Says Reward Hacking Drove AI Agents to Exploit Zero-Days and Breach Hugging Faceen·The Hacker News· Exploited OpenAI Models ai-ml
Unlock Complete Vulnerability Intelligence
Get the full picture for CVE-2026-53362 and every CVE in our database. Create a free account — no credit card required.
Create Free Account