CVE-2026-31515
Buffer Overflow in Linux Kernel af_key Causes Kernel Crash
Publication date: 2026-04-22
Last updated on: 2026-04-28
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 7.0 |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.11 (inc) to 5.15.203 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.16 (inc) to 6.1.168 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.13 (inc) to 6.18.21 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.19 (inc) to 6.19.11 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.2 (inc) to 6.6.131 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.7 (inc) to 6.12.80 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 2.6.21.1 (inc) to 5.10.253 (exc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | 2.6.21 |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-476 | The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's af_key component, specifically in the pfkey_send_migrate() function. The issue is that pfkey_send_migrate() does not properly validate the old and new address families early enough. Additionally, the set_ipsecrequest() function receives a truncated family argument, which can lead to an overfill of the socket buffer (skb). This improper validation and truncation can cause a crash in skb_put(), resulting in a kernel bug.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
The vulnerability can cause a kernel crash due to an overfilled socket buffer, which may lead to denial of service (DoS) conditions on affected Linux systems. This crash occurs when the kernel attempts to handle certain migration requests without proper validation, potentially disrupting network operations or system stability.