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Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2026-52988

HIGH · 7.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-24
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 7.0.10 or later.
See remediation →
73/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click Patch available 8 weeks old

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: join hook list via splice_list_rcu() in commit phase Publish new hooks in the list into the basechain/flowtable using splice_list_rcu() to ensure netlink dump list traversal via rcu is safe while concurrent ruleset update is going on.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Race condition in Linux kernel's nf_tables subsystem where concurrent ruleset updates could cause unsafe list traversal during netlink dump operations. The vulnerability occurs because hook list traversal wasn't properly RCU-protected, potentially leading to use-after-free or memory corruption when hooks are modified while being dumped.

MitigationApply the patched Linux kernel version containing the splice_list_rcu() fix for safe RCU-protected hook list operations in the commit phase.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
Affected:>= 5.8, < 7.0.10= 7.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check kernel version against affected range
    Run 'uname -r' to get the running kernel version. Compare the version number to the affected ranges: >= 5.8 AND < 7.0.10, OR exactly 7.1
    Affected if The kernel version falls within >= 5.8, < 7.0.10 or equals 7.1
  2. Verify nf_tables module is loaded
    Run 'lsmod | grep nf_tables' to check if the nf_tables module is currently loaded in memory
    Affected if The nf_tables module is loaded and actively running
  3. Check for active nftables rules
    Run 'nft list tables' or check /sys/kernel/debug/nf_tables/ for active table entries to determine if nftables rules are configured
    Affected if nftables tables or rules exist, indicating the feature is in use
  4. Identify netlink dump activity
    Monitor netlink socket activity using 'ss -x | grep nfnetlink' or capture netlink traffic to observe nf_tables netlink dump operations occurring
    Affected if Active netlink dump operations on nf_tables sockets are observable

A system is affected if it runs a kernel version in the range >= 5.8 and < 7.0.10 or exactly version 7.1, and has nf_tables loaded with active rules that could be concurrently modified while netlink dump operations are in progress.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 7.0.10 or later
Fixed in 7.0.10
Vendor patch git.kernel.org →
Interim mitigation

Apply the patched Linux kernel version containing the splice_list_rcu() fix for safe RCU-protected hook list operations in the commit phase.

Recommended fix High confidence

Linux Kernel 7.0.10 or later (7.1.1+, avoiding the vulnerable 7.1.0)

  1. Identify the current kernel version using `uname -r` or `cat /proc/version`
  2. Check if the system is running an affected version (>= 5.8, < 7.0.10 or exactly 7.1)
  3. Schedule a maintenance window for the kernel upgrade
  4. Update the Linux kernel package to version 7.0.10 or later (recommended: latest stable 7.x release such as 7.1.1 or later that includes the fix)
  5. Reboot the system to load the new kernel
  6. Verify the new kernel version is running using `uname -r`
  7. Confirm the nf_tables module is loaded and functioning properly using `lsmod | grep nf_tables` and checking nftables rules if applicable
Caveat Kernel upgrades may require rebuild of out-of-tree kernel modules; ensure compatibility of proprietary drivers or third-party modules with the new kernel version before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Linux Kernel Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,540
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-52988 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data