# CVE-2026-68415: xfrm: clear mode callbacks after failed mode setup

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel xfrm subsystem allows a local attacker to cause a system crash via a kernel panic.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-68415, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68415, GHSA-f6q7-mj5x-h2px, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68415

## What is CVE-2026-68415?

CVE-2026-68415 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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: clear mode callbacks after failed mode setup

xfrm_state_gc_task can run long after a failed IPTFS state setup. In the
reproduced case, __xfrm_init_state() cached x->mode_cbs, IPTFS setup
returned -ENOMEM before publishing mode_data, and the temporary module
reference from xfrm_get_mode_cbs() was dropped immediately. The dead state
then kept x->mode_cbs until deferred GC ran after xfrm_iptfs had been
unloaded.

Clear x->mode_cbs when mode init or clone fails before publishing
mode_data. Those states never installed mode-specific state or the
long-term IPTFS module pin, so deferred GC has nothing mode-specific to
destroy and must not retain a callback table pointer past the temporary
lookup reference.

The buggy scenario involves two paths, with each column showing the order
within that path:

failed setup path:
1. cache x->mode_cbs
2. mode setup fails before mode_data
3. drop the temporary module ref
4. dead state keeps x->mode_cbs cached

GC/unload path:
1. xfrm_state_put() queues GC work
2. xfrm_iptfs unloads later
3. xfrm_state_gc_task runs
4. GC dereferences stale x->mode_cbs

This also covers the failed clone path where clone_state() returns before
publishing mode_data.

Validation reproduced this kernel report:
Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception
CONFIG_FAULT_INJECTION_STACKTRACE_FILTER=y
failslab_stacktrace_filter matched xfrm_iptfs frames
ack_error=-12
FAULT_INJECTION: forcing a failure
BUG: unable to handle page fault
Workqueue: events xfrm_state_gc_task
RIP: xfrm_state_gc_task+0x142/0x650
Modules linked in: esp4_offload xfrm_user [last unloaded: xfrm_iptfs]
Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68415?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-68415?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-68415 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68415 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-68415 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-68415 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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-2026-68415 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-68415/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68415/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-68415
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68415
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68415

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68415/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.