SEPTEMBER 14, 2026
Live Feed
Back to database
Case File

CVE-2026-89487

HIGH · CVSS 7.8 EPSS 0.13%

Source: NVD + CISA KEV + EPSS · Published 2026-09-11 · Last synced 2026-09-14

CyberRota Analysis

AI-Generated

The vulnerability affects the Linux kernel's Open vSwitch component, where improper handling of socket buffers (skbs) during packet processing can lead to unauthorized memory writes. This flaw allows an unprivileged user to exploit the SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG flag, potentially enabling in-place decryption of sensitive data over pages not owned by the sender, which poses a significant security risk. Organizations using Linux-based systems with Open vSwitch should prioritize this issue to mitigate the risk of unauthorized data access and exploitation.

CVE
CVE-2026-89487
Severity
HIGH
CVSS
7.8
EPSS
0.13%
Linux

Original NVD Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: openvswitch: only skb_tx_error() a packet we are about to drop queue_userspace_packet() borrows the packet skb -- it only copies it into a private netlink message (user_skb) and does not own it; on return do_execute_actions() keeps forwarding it through the flow's remaining actions. Its error path nevertheless calls skb_tx_error(skb), which via skb_zcopy_clear() does skb_shinfo(skb)->flags &= ~SKBFL_ALL_ZEROCOPY, stripping SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG from that live skb (skb_tx_error()'s kerneldoc says "skb must be freed afterwards"). For a MSG_ZEROCOPY skb carrying page-cache frags, SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG is what makes esp_input() skb_cow_data() before in-place AEAD; once it is stripped a later local ESP-in-UDP delivery decrypts in place over pages the sender does not own -- an unprivileged page-cache write (the "Fragnesia" primitive). do_execute_actions() ignores output_userspace()'s return value, so any action after a failed USERSPACE upcall inherits the stripped skb. Move the skb_tx_error() to the flow-miss drop path - the "default" branch of ovs_dp_process_packet()'s switch(error), before kfree_skb(). The call has been here since commit 36d5fe6a0007 ("core, nfqueue, openvswitch: Orphan frags in skb_zerocopy and handle errors") but was harmless until esp_input() began relying on SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG to gate in-place decrypt; only then did stripping it on a still-forwarded skb become a page-cache write primitive.