# CVE-2026-80681: vxlan: re-fetch eth header after route_shortcircuit()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel VXLAN driver allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via crafted network packets.

- **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:** 28 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 16 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-98114, BELL-CVE-2026-80681, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-80681, GHSA-6mmh-5qqr-f237, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-80681

## What is CVE-2026-80681?

CVE-2026-80681 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 28 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:

vxlan: re-fetch eth header after route_shortcircuit()

Before route_shortcircuit(), the eth header pointer is cached from eth_hdr(skb).

Inside route_shortcircuit(), pskb_may_pull() can be called, which may
reallocate skb->head.

In this case, returning to vxlan_xmit() leaves the cached eth pointer pointing to
freed memory, leading to a use-after-free when dereferencing eth->h_dest.

Fix this by updating eth = eth_hdr(skb) after calling route_shortcircuit().

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-80681?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-80681?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-80681 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-80681 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-80681 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-80681 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 28 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-2026-80681 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-2026-80681/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-80681/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80681
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80681
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-80681

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-80681/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.