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Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2026-53099

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-24
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 7.0.10 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
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: bpf: Switch CONFIG_CFI_CLANG to CONFIG_CFI This was renamed in commit 23ef9d439769 ("kcfi: Rename CONFIG_CFI_CLANG to CONFIG_CFI") as it is now a compiler-agnostic option. Using the wrong name results in the code getting compiled out. Meaning the CFI failures for btf_dtor_kfunc_t would still trigger.

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

The Linux kernel's BPF subsystem used the deprecated CONFIG_CFI_CLANG option name instead of the renamed CONFIG_CFI option. Since the config symbol was renamed to be compiler-agnostic, the CFI protection code for btf_dtor_kfunc gets compiled out entirely, leaving this code path without Control Flow Integrity protection despite appearing to be enabled.

MitigationRebuild the kernel with the correct CONFIG_CFI option and verify CFI protections are actively enforced for the btf_dtor_kfunc code path using kernel CFI testing utilities.

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:>= 7.0, < 7.0.10

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
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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
    Run `uname -r` or check `/proc/version` to determine the running kernel version
    Affected if Kernel version is 7.0.x where x is less than 10 (versions 7.0 through 7.0.9)
  2. Check if bpf subsystem is present
    Run `ls /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/events/` or check if `bpf` directory exists under `/sys/kernel/debug/bpf`
    Affected if The bpf subsystem is compiled into or loaded by the kernel
  3. Verify kernel config uses CONFIG_CFI
    Check the kernel build config file (usually in /boot/config-$(uname -r) or /usr/src/linux/.config) for the presence of CONFIG_CFI=y or CONFIG_CFI=m
    Affected if CONFIG_CFI is enabled (the renamed option) and CONFIG_CFI_CLANG is not set, meaning the bpf CFI protection code was compiled out due to the old check
  4. Confirm btf_dtor_kfunc CFI protection is absent
    Search the kernel source or config for CONFIG_BPF_KFUNC_DTOR - if present, this feature relies on the CFI check that was broken; also check if /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/available_events shows bpf-related events that would depend on CFI
    Affected if The btf_dtor_kfunc feature is enabled in the kernel config but the CFI check uses the old CONFIG_CFI_CLANG name

A user is affected if they are running kernel 7.0.x (where x < 10), have the bpf subsystem, and have CONFIG_CFI enabled while CONFIG_CFI_CLANG is not set, meaning the CFI protection for btf_dtor_kfunc was not compiled into the kernel.

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

Rebuild the kernel with the correct CONFIG_CFI option and verify CFI protections are actively enforced for the btf_dtor_kfunc code path using kernel CFI testing utilities.

Recommended fix High confidence

Linux Kernel 7.0.10

  1. Upgrade the Linux kernel to version 7.0.10 or later
  2. Verify the kernel version after upgrade using 'uname -r'
  3. Ensure CONFIG_CFI is enabled in kernel configuration (not the deprecated CONFIG_CFI_CLANG) if building custom kernels
Caveat Kernel minor version upgrades typically have low risk but may include driver or API changes; review kernel release notes for 7.0.10

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

Fix this in Linux Kernel Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation1.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
5.0 hours of engineering $860
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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-2026-53099 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