CVE-2026-74565 netfilter: nf_tables: make nft_object rhltable per table
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfilter subsystem allows local attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-74565?
CVE-2026-74565 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 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:
netfilter: nf_tables: make nft_object rhltable per table
The nft_object rhltable is global, this allows for accessing objects that are being dismangled from lookup path by other existing netns. Given the nft_obj_destroy() releases the object inmediately, this might lead to use-after-free of these objects that are being released. Make the existing rhltable per table to address this issue to deal with with the nft_rcv_nl_event() path too.
Update nft_obj_lookup() to take the table as non-const, otherwise, compiler complains when passing the objname_ht to rhltable_lookup().
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74565?
How do I fix CVE-2026-74565?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-74565 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74565 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-96509, BELL-CVE-2026-74565, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74565, GHSA-x5cj-f9c8-r2x6, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74565.