# CVE-2026-64113: ixgbevf: fix use-after-free in VEPA multicast source pruning

> A use-after-free in the ixgbevf kernel driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted network traffic.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-64113, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64113, GHSA-gwhj-73cj-phr2, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64113

## What is CVE-2026-64113?

CVE-2026-64113 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ixgbevf: fix use-after-free in VEPA multicast source pruning

ixgbevf_clean_rx_irq() prunes frames whose source MAC matches the VF's
own address (VEPA multicast workaround) by freeing the skb and
continuing to the next descriptor:

    dev_kfree_skb_irq(skb);
    continue;

The skb pointer is declared outside the while loop and persists across
iterations.  Because the continue skips the "skb = NULL" reset at the
bottom of the loop, the next iteration enters the "else if (skb)" path
and calls ixgbevf_add_rx_frag() on the freed skb, dereferencing
skb_shinfo(skb)->nr_frags - a use-after-free in NAPI softirq context.

The sibling driver iavf already handles this correctly by nulling the
pointer before continuing.  Apply the same pattern here.

I do not have ixgbevf hardware; the bug was found by static analysis
(scan_drop_continue_loops.py + semgrep drop_continue_in_loop, multi-tool
corroboration with the highest score in the scan).  The UAF was confirmed
under KASAN by loading a test module that reproduces the exact code
pattern (alloc skb, kfree_skb, then read skb_shinfo(skb)->nr_frags):

  BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ixgbevf_uaf_test_init+0x100/0x1000
  Read of size 8 at addr 000000006163ae78 by task insmod/30
  freed 208-byte region [000000006163adc0, 000000006163ae90)

QEMU emulates igb (82576) but not ixgbe (82599), and the igbvf VF
driver does not include the VEPA source pruning path, so a full
end-to-end reproduction with emulated hardware was not possible.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64113?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64113?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64113 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64113 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-2026-64113 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64113 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64113 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-2026-64113/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64113/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64113
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64113
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64113

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64113/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.