# CVE-2026-74616: xdp: reject clones that overrun skb_shared_info tailroom

> A flaw in the Linux kernel's XDP subsystem allows memory corruption when cloning frames, potentially leading to code execution or denial of service.

- **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:** 22 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 16 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-97106, BELL-CVE-2026-74616, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74616, GHSA-x7hh-pf5f-27mw, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74616

## What is CVE-2026-74616?

CVE-2026-74616 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 22 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:

xdp: reject clones that overrun skb_shared_info tailroom

xdpf_clone() clones broadcast copies into a single page and sets
frame_sz to PAGE_SIZE. __xdp_build_skb_from_frame() later treats that
page like a normal XDP frame and expects the usual skb_shared_info
tailroom at the end of the buffer.

The current check only rejects frames whose linear xdp_frame header,
headroom, and packet data exceed PAGE_SIZE. A source frame backed by a
larger allocation can still satisfy that check while extending into the
clone's required shared-info area. When such a clone is converted back
into an skb, build_skb_around() places skb_shared_info over live packet
bytes and later writes can corrupt XDP return metadata.

Reject clones unless their linear area fits inside
SKB_WITH_OVERHEAD(PAGE_SIZE), matching the tailroom requirement already
enforced by the XDP-to-skb conversion path.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74616?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-74616?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-74616 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74616 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-74616 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-74616 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 22 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-2026-74616 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-2026-74616/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74616/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-74616
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-74616
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-74616

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74616/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.