# CVE-2026-64079: netfilter: x_tables: allocate hook ops while under mutex

> A race condition in Linux kernel netfilter allows a NULL pointer dereference during network namespace cleanup, causing a system crash.

- **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:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-92724, BELL-CVE-2026-64079, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64079, GHSA-vgxq-4vm2-qmp7, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-64079, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-64079, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64079

## What is CVE-2026-64079?

CVE-2026-64079 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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:

netfilter: x_tables: allocate hook ops while under mutex

arp/ip(6)t_register_table() add the table to the per-netns list via
xt_register_table() before allocating the per-netns hook ops copy
via kmemdup_array().  This leaves a window where the table is
visible in the list with ops=NULL.

If the pernet exit happens runs concurrently the pre_exit callback finds
the table via xt_find_table() and passes the NULL ops pointer to
nf_unregister_net_hooks(), causing a NULL dereference:

  general protection fault in nf_unregister_net_hooks+0xbc/0x150
  RIP: nf_unregister_net_hooks (net/netfilter/core.c:613)
  Call Trace:
    ipt_unregister_table_pre_exit
    iptable_mangle_net_pre_exit
    ops_pre_exit_list
    cleanup_net

Fix by moving the ops allocation into the xtables core so the table is
never in the list without valid ops.  Also ensure the table is no longer
processing packets before its torn down on error unwind.
nf_register_net_hooks might have published at least one hook; call
synchronize_rcu() if there was an error.

audit log register message gets deferred until all operations have
passed, this avoids need to emit another ureg message in case of
error unwinding.

Based on earlier patch by Tristan Madani.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64079?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64079?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64079 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64079 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-2026-64079 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64079 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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-2026-64079 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-2026-64079/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64079/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64079
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64079
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64079

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64079/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.