# CVE-2026-53096: bpf: Use RCU-safe iteration in dev_map_redirect_multi() SKB path

> A race condition in the Linux kernel BPF dev_map allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via improper RCU iteration.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** BELL-CVE-2026-53096, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53096, GHSA-8qvr-6896-8wfm, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-53096, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-53096, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-53096, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53096

## What is CVE-2026-53096?

CVE-2026-53096 is a high-severity 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:

bpf: Use RCU-safe iteration in dev_map_redirect_multi() SKB path

The DEVMAP_HASH branch in dev_map_redirect_multi() uses
hlist_for_each_entry_safe() to iterate hash buckets, but this function
runs under RCU protection (called from xdp_do_generic_redirect_map()
in softirq context). Concurrent writers (__dev_map_hash_update_elem,
dev_map_hash_delete_elem) modify the list using RCU primitives
(hlist_add_head_rcu, hlist_del_rcu).

hlist_for_each_entry_safe() performs plain pointer dereferences without
rcu_dereference(), missing the acquire barrier needed to pair with
writers' rcu_assign_pointer(). On weakly-ordered architectures (ARM64,
POWER), a reader can observe a partially-constructed node. It also
defeats CONFIG_PROVE_RCU lockdep validation and KCSAN data-race
detection.

Replace with hlist_for_each_entry_rcu() using rcu_read_lock_bh_held()
as the lockdep condition, consistent with the rcu_dereference_check()
used in the DEVMAP (non-hash) branch of the same functions. Also fix
the same incorrect lockdep_is_held(&dtab->index_lock) condition in
dev_map_enqueue_multi(), where the lock is not held either.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference), CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53096?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53096?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-53096 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53096 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-2026-53096 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53096 is a high-severity 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-2026-53096 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-2026-53096/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53096/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53096
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53096
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53096

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53096/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.