CVE-2026-53349

netfilter: nf_conntrack: destroy stale expectfn expectations on unregister

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: July 1, 2026 at 01:32 PM UTC
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 02:20 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack: destroy stale expectfn expectations on unregister NAT helpers such as nf_nat_h323 store a raw pointer to module text in exp->expectfn (e.g. ip_nat_q931_expect). nf_ct_helper_expectfn_unregister() only unlinks the callback descriptor and never walks the expectation table, so an expectation pending at module removal survives with a dangling exp->expectfn into freed module text. When the expected connection arrives, init_conntrack() invokes exp->expectfn(), now a stale pointer into the unloaded module. Reproduced on a KASAN build by loading the H.323 helpers, creating a Q.931 expectation, unloading nf_nat_h323, then connecting to the expected port: Oops: int3: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI RIP: 0010:0xffffffffa06102d1 init_conntrack.isra.0 (net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c:1862) nf_conntrack_in (net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c:2049) ipv4_conntrack_local (net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c:223) nf_hook_slow (net/netfilter/core.c:619) __ip_local_out (net/ipv4/ip_output.c:120) __tcp_transmit_skb (net/ipv4/tcp_output.c:1715) tcp_connect (net/ipv4/tcp_output.c:4374) tcp_v4_connect (net/ipv4/tcp_ipv4.c:345) __sys_connect (net/socket.c:2167) Modules linked in: nf_conntrack_h323 [last unloaded: nf_nat_h323] Reaching the dangling state requires CAP_SYS_MODULE in the initial user namespace to remove a NAT helper that still has live expectations, so this is a robustness fix; leaving an expectation pointing at freed text is wrong regardless. Add nf_ct_helper_expectfn_destroy(), which walks the expectation table and drops every expectation whose ->expectfn matches the descriptor being torn down. Call it from each NAT helper's exit path after the existing RCU grace period, so no expectation outlives the code it points at and no extra synchronize_rcu() is introduced. With the fix, the same reproducer runs to completion without the Oops.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

2.6.20 ≤ v < 6.1.1766.13 ≤ v < 6.18.366.19 ≤ v < 7.0.136.2 ≤ v < 6.6.1436.7 ≤ v < 6.12.947.17.1 rc17.1 rc27.1 rc37.1 rc47.1 rc57.1 rc67.1 rc7f587de0e2feb9eb9b94f98d0a7b7437e4d6617b4
Vendor states this is fixed in 29d8cc44bbdf7b83a1929912214afe6643c1b4f1 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 9d017671dcfcec23321fb7962dea624f9e71ddb1 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in bf8c0b5dd203be94c2ad50e264cec19267c6bd39 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c3009418f9fa1dcb3eb86f4d8c92583537b5faa3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in f92c90a2a3e6ff6f9f7fe88fde9004b4ca8f956d (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in fbfde85308b99938a6092c48753214d190ece48d (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2.6.20 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.176 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.94 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.36 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.143 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.0.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.1 (unaffected)

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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