# CVE-2026-53275: ipv6: mcast: Fix use-after-free when processing MLD queries

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPv6 multicast handling allows attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute code.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **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:** AZL-90647, BELL-CVE-2026-53275, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53275, GHSA-2pv9-hj5w-6p36, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-53275, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-53275, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-53275, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-53275, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53275

## What is CVE-2026-53275?

CVE-2026-53275 is a high-severity use after free 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:

ipv6: mcast: Fix use-after-free when processing MLD queries

When processing an MLD query, a pointer to the multicast group address
is retrieved when initially parsing the packet. This pointer is later
dereferenced without being reloaded despite the fact that the skb header
might have been reallocated following the pskb_may_pull() calls, leading
to a use-after-free [1].

Fix by copying the multicast group address when the packet is initially
parsed.

[1]
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __mld_query_work (net/ipv6/mcast.c:1512)
Read of size 8 at addr ffff8881154b8e90 by task kworker/4:1/118

Workqueue: mld mld_query_work
Call Trace:
<TASK>
dump_stack_lvl (lib/dump_stack.c:94 lib/dump_stack.c:120)
print_address_description.constprop.0 (mm/kasan/report.c:378)
print_report (mm/kasan/report.c:482)
kasan_report (mm/kasan/report.c:595)
__mld_query_work (net/ipv6/mcast.c:1512)
mld_query_work (net/ipv6/mcast.c:1563)
process_one_work (kernel/workqueue.c:3314)
worker_thread (kernel/workqueue.c:3397 kernel/workqueue.c:3478)
kthread (kernel/kthread.c:436)
ret_from_fork (arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158)
ret_from_fork_asm (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:245)
</TASK>

[...]

Freed by task 118:
kasan_save_stack (mm/kasan/common.c:57)
kasan_save_track (mm/kasan/common.c:78)
kasan_save_free_info (mm/kasan/generic.c:584)
__kasan_slab_free (mm/kasan/common.c:253 mm/kasan/common.c:285)
kfree (./include/linux/kasan.h:235 mm/slub.c:2689 mm/slub.c:6251 mm/slub.c:6566)
pskb_expand_head (net/core/skbuff.c:2335)
__pskb_pull_tail (net/core/skbuff.c:2878 (discriminator 4))
__mld_query_work (net/ipv6/mcast.c:1495 (discriminator 1))
mld_query_work (net/ipv6/mcast.c:1563)
process_one_work (kernel/workqueue.c:3314)
worker_thread (kernel/workqueue.c:3397 kernel/workqueue.c:3478)
kthread (kernel/kthread.c:436)
ret_from_fork (arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158)
ret_from_fork_asm (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:245)

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53275?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53275?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-53275 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53275 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-2026-53275 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53275 is a high-severity use after free 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-2026-53275 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-2026-53275/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53275/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53275
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53275
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53275

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53275/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.