# CVE-2026-53197: xfrm: iptfs: fix ABBA deadlock in iptfs_destroy_state()

> A race condition in the Linux kernel's iptfs module causes an ABBA deadlock, leading to a denial of service on SMP systems.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-53197, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53197, GHSA-cwx4-f9x9-pqhh, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53197

## What is CVE-2026-53197?

CVE-2026-53197 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 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:

xfrm: iptfs: fix ABBA deadlock in iptfs_destroy_state()

iptfs_destroy_state() calls hrtimer_cancel() while holding a spinlock
that the timer callback also acquires, leading to an ABBA deadlock on
SMP systems.

For the output timer (iptfs_timer):
  - iptfs_destroy_state() holds x->lock, calls hrtimer_cancel()
  - iptfs_delay_timer() callback takes x->lock

For the drop timer (drop_timer):
  - iptfs_destroy_state() holds drop_lock, calls hrtimer_cancel()
  - iptfs_drop_timer() callback takes drop_lock

Both timers use HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT, so their callbacks run in softirq
context.  When hrtimer_cancel() is called for a soft timer that is
currently executing on another CPU, hrtimer_cancel_wait_running() spins
on softirq_expiry_lock -- the same lock held by the softirq running the
callback.  If the callback is blocked waiting for the spinlock held by
the caller of hrtimer_cancel(), a circular dependency forms:

  CPU 0: holds lock_A -> waits for softirq_expiry_lock
  CPU 1: holds softirq_expiry_lock -> waits for lock_A

Fix by calling hrtimer_cancel() before acquiring the respective locks.
hrtimer_cancel() is safe to call without holding any lock and will wait
for any in-progress callback to complete.  For the output timer, the
lock is still acquired afterwards to drain the packet queue.  For the
drop timer, the lock/unlock pair is removed entirely since it only
existed to serialize with the timer callback, which hrtimer_cancel()
already guarantees.

Found by source code audit.

Weakness: CWE-667 (Improper Locking)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53197?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53197?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-53197 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53197 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-2026-53197 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53197 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 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-2026-53197 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-2026-53197/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53197/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53197
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53197
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53197

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53197/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.