# CVE-2026-53069: net, bpf: fix null-ptr-deref in xdp_master_redirect() for down master

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's XDP redirect path allows local attackers to cause a system crash by triggering a bond device state inconsistency.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-53069, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53069, GHSA-cc9g-3x8w-qfw5, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-53069, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-53069, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-53069, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53069

## What is CVE-2026-53069?

CVE-2026-53069 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

net, bpf: fix null-ptr-deref in xdp_master_redirect() for down master

syzkaller reported a kernel panic in bond_rr_gen_slave_id() reached via
xdp_master_redirect(). Full decoded trace:

  https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=80e046b8da2820b6ba73

bond_rr_gen_slave_id() dereferences bond->rr_tx_counter, a per-CPU
counter that bonding only allocates in bond_open() when the mode is
round-robin. If the bond device was never brought up, rr_tx_counter
stays NULL.

The XDP redirect path can still reach that code on a bond that was
never opened: bpf_master_redirect_enabled_key is a global static key,
so as soon as any bond device has native XDP attached, the
XDP_TX -> xdp_master_redirect() interception is enabled for every
slave system-wide. The path xdp_master_redirect() ->
bond_xdp_get_xmit_slave() -> bond_xdp_xmit_roundrobin_slave_get() ->
bond_rr_gen_slave_id() then runs against a bond that has no
rr_tx_counter and crashes.

Fix this in the generic xdp_master_redirect() by refusing to call into
the master's ->ndo_xdp_get_xmit_slave() when the master device is not
up. IFF_UP is only set after ->ndo_open() has successfully returned,
so this reliably excludes masters whose XDP state has not been fully
initialized. Drop the frame with XDP_ABORTED so the exception is
visible via trace_xdp_exception() rather than silently falling through.
This is not specific to bonding: any current or future master that
defers XDP state allocation to ->ndo_open() is protected.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53069?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53069?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-53069 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53069 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-2026-53069 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53069 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53069 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-2026-53069/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53069/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53069
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53069
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53069

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53069/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.