# CVE-2026-52942: netfilter: nf_log: validate MAC header was set before dumping it

> A local attacker can trigger an out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel netfilter logging module, potentially leaking memory or causing a crash.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-90317, BELL-CVE-2026-52942, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-52942, GHSA-3p98-fq5j-wx55, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-52942, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-52942, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-52942, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-52942, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-52942

## What is CVE-2026-52942?

CVE-2026-52942 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

netfilter: nf_log: validate MAC header was set before dumping it

The fallback path of dump_mac_header() guards the MAC header access
only with "skb->mac_header != skb->network_header", without checking
skb_mac_header_was_set(). When the MAC header is unset, mac_header is
0xffff, so the test passes and skb_mac_header(skb) returns
skb->head + 0xffff, ~64 KiB past the buffer; the loop then reads
dev->hard_header_len bytes out of bounds into the kernel log.

This is reachable via the netdev logger: nf_log_unknown_packet() calls
dump_mac_header() unconditionally, and an skb sent through AF_PACKET
with PACKET_QDISC_BYPASS reaches the egress hook with mac_header still
unset (__dev_queue_xmit(), which would reset it, is bypassed).

Add the skb_mac_header_was_set() check the ARPHRD_ETHER path already
uses, and replace the open-coded MAC header length test with
skb_mac_header_len(). Only skbs with an unset MAC header are affected;
valid ones are dumped as before.

 BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in dump_mac_header (net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:831)
 Read of size 1 at addr ffff88800ea49d3f by task exploit/148
 Call Trace:
  kasan_report (mm/kasan/report.c:595)
  dump_mac_header (net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:831)
  nf_log_netdev_packet (net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:938 net/netfilter/nf_log_syslog.c:963)
  nf_log_packet (net/netfilter/nf_log.c:260)
  nft_log_eval (net/netfilter/nft_log.c:60)
  nft_do_chain (net/netfilter/nf_tables_core.c:285)
  nft_do_chain_netdev (net/netfilter/nft_chain_filter.c:307)
  nf_hook_slow (net/netfilter/core.c:619)
  nf_hook_direct_egress (net/packet/af_packet.c:257)
  packet_xmit (net/packet/af_packet.c:280)
  packet_sendmsg (net/packet/af_packet.c:3114)
  __sys_sendto (net/socket.c:2265)

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-52942?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-52942?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-52942 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-52942 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-52942 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-52942 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 Jun 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-52942 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52942/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52942/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-52942
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-52942
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-52942

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52942/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.