# CVE-2026-74464: net: openvswitch: fix skb leak on flow key update failure during ct

> A memory leak in the Linux kernel Open vSwitch module allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by sending crafted packets that trigger a flow key update failure.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-96087, BELL-CVE-2026-74464, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74464, GHSA-cvjv-6hmm-j2vv, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74464

## What is CVE-2026-74464?

CVE-2026-74464 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 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:

net: openvswitch: fix skb leak on flow key update failure during ct

ovs_ct_execute() always steals or frees the skb on failure while
ovs_flow_key_update() does not.  So, if it fails and we return right
away, the skb ends up leaked.

Fix that by breaking instead and letting the common error handling
code at the bottom of the loop to free the skb properly.

This is a very unlikely scenario as it requires the packet to become
unparseable by applying a set of actions on a previously parseable skb,
but should be fixed nevertheless.

Reported by Sashiko.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74464?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-74464?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-74464 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74464 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-74464 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-74464 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 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-2026-74464 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-2026-74464/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74464/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-74464
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-74464
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-74464

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74464/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.