CVE-2026-89555 mpls: reload header after pskb_may_pull()
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel MPLS multipath hash routine allows attackers to cause a system crash or potentially execute code via crafted network packets.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-89555?
CVE-2026-89555 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 11 Sep 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:
mpls: reload header after pskb_may_pull()
mpls_select_multipath() calls mpls_multipath_hash() to choose a nexthop when an MPLS route has multiple nexthops. While walking the MPLS label stack, the hash routine caches hdr for the current label. After finding the bottom-of-stack label, it calls pskb_may_pull() before reading the inner IP header.
If an skb is constructed with the inner IP header in nonlinear data and insufficient tailroom in the linear head, pskb_may_pull() calls pskb_expand_head() to replace the skb head and free the old one. This leaves hdr pointing to freed memory. The IPv6 path can invalidate hdr again when it performs a second pull for the larger header.
The issue was found through static analysis. A reproducer sending a legal Geneve packet through a bareudp/MPLS multipath setup triggered the same KASAN report in 2 of 2 unpatched runs:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in mpls_select_multipath Read of size 1 at addr ffff88800ecc6e20 by task ksoftirqd/1/23
Call Trace: mpls_select_multipath mpls_forward __netif_receive_skb_list_core netif_receive_skb_list_internal napi_complete_done gro_cell_poll __napi_poll net_rx_action
Freed by task 23: kfree pskb_expand_head __pskb_pull_tail mpls_select_multipath
Reload hdr from the current skb head after each successful pull before deriving the inner IPv4 or IPv6 header pointer.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-89555?
How do I fix CVE-2026-89555?
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-2026-89555 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-89555 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-100389, BELL-CVE-2026-89555, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-89555, GHSA-6h6h-gvhm-2hwq, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89555.