In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: ipv6: flowlabel: defer exclusive option free until RCU teardown

`ip6fl_seq_show()` walks the global flowlabel hash under the seq-file
RCU read-side lock and prints `fl->opt->opt_nflen` when an option block
is present.

Exclusive flowlabels currently free `fl->opt` as soon as `fl->users`
drops to zero in `fl_release()`. However, the surrounding
`struct ip6_flowlabel` remains visible in the global hash table until
later garbage collection removes it and `fl_free_rcu()` finally tears it
down.

A concurrent `/proc/net/ip6_flowlabel` reader can therefore race that
early `kfree()` and dereference freed option state, triggering a crash
in `ip6fl_seq_show()`.

Fix this by keeping `fl->opt` alive until `fl_free_rcu()`. That matches
the lifetime already required for the enclosing flowlabel while readers
can still reach it under RCU.

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Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ipv6: flowlabel: defer exclusive option free until RCU teardown `ip6fl_seq_show()` walks the global flowlabel hash under the seq-file RCU read-side lock and prints `fl->opt->opt_nflen` when an option block is present. Exclusive flowlabels currently free `fl->opt` as soon as `fl->users` drops to zero in `fl_release()`. However, the surrounding `struct ip6_flowlabel` remains visible in the global hash table until later garbage collection removes it and `fl_free_rcu()` finally tears it down. A concurrent `/proc/net/ip6_flowlabel` reader can therefore race that early `kfree()` and dereference freed option state, triggering a crash in `ip6fl_seq_show()`. Fix this by keeping `fl->opt` alive until `fl_free_rcu()`. That matches the lifetime already required for the enclosing flowlabel while readers can still reach it under RCU.
Title net: ipv6: flowlabel: defer exclusive option free until RCU teardown
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-04-25T08:46:56.807Z

Reserved: 2026-03-09T15:48:24.130Z

Link: CVE-2026-31680

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-04-25T09:16:01.673

Modified: 2026-04-25T09:16:01.673

Link: CVE-2026-31680

cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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