# CVE-2026-53223: net: guard timestamp cmsgs to real error queue skbs

> A local attacker with AF_PACKET access and timestamping enabled can read adjacent heap memory due to incorrect error queue skb handling.

- **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:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-53223, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53223, GHSA-9mph-4hqc-xqx7, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-53223, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-53223, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-53223, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-53223, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53223

## What is CVE-2026-53223?

CVE-2026-53223 is a high-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:

net: guard timestamp cmsgs to real error queue skbs

skb_is_err_queue() treats PACKET_OUTGOING as the sole marker for an skb
from sk_error_queue. That assumption is not true for AF_PACKET sockets:
outgoing packet taps are also delivered to packet sockets with
skb->pkt_type == PACKET_OUTGOING, but their skb->cb is owned by AF_PACKET
instead of struct sock_exterr_skb.

If such an skb is received with timestamping enabled, the generic
timestamp cmsg path can read AF_PACKET control-buffer state as
sock_exterr_skb::opt_stats. With SO_RXQ_OVFL enabled, the packet drop
counter overlaps opt_stats. An odd drop count makes the path emit
SCM_TIMESTAMPING_OPT_STATS with skb->len and skb->data. For non-linear
skbs this copies past the linear head and can trigger hardened usercopy or
disclose adjacent heap contents.

Keep skb_is_err_queue() local to net/socket.c, but make it verify that
the PACKET_OUTGOING marker is paired with the sock_rmem_free destructor
installed by sock_queue_err_skb(). AF_PACKET receive skbs use normal
receive ownership and no longer pass as error-queue skbs, while legitimate
sk_error_queue entries keep the PACKET_OUTGOING marker and sock_rmem_free
ownership.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53223?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53223?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-53223 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53223 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-2026-53223 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53223 is a high-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-2026-53223 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-2026-53223/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53223/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53223
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53223
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53223

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53223/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.