CVE-2026-74465
Received Received - Intake

Use-After-Free in Linux Kernel Open vSwitch Meter

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-74465, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-08-15

Last updated on: 2026-08-19

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: openvswitch: fix potential UAF on meter attach failure While attaching a newly created meter attach_meter() function makes the new meter visible to other CPUs but can still fail afterwards. On failure, it detaches the meter back and returns an error. However, this is an unexpected behavior for the ovs_meter_cmd_set() that uses a plain kfree(meter) on attach failure without waiting for RCU readers to stop using it, assuming it was never visible. This is never a problem for ovs-vswitchd as it always creates meters before creating any flows that use them. But the UAF can be triggered with a custom application using uAPI: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ovs_meter_execute (net/openvswitch/meter.c:653) Read of size 8 at addr ffff88810d152650 by task meter/2508 Call Trace: ovs_meter_execute (net/openvswitch/meter.c:653) do_execute_actions (net/openvswitch/actions.c:1407) ovs_execute_actions (net/openvswitch/actions.c:1584) ovs_packet_cmd_execute (net/openvswitch/datapath.c:703) ... netlink_sendmsg (af_netlink.c:1900) Allocated by task 2519: __kasan_kmalloc (mm/kasan/common.c:398 mm/kasan/common.c:415) ovs_meter_cmd_set (net/openvswitch/meter.c:422) ... netlink_sendmsg (af_netlink.c:1900) Freed by task 2519: kfree (mm/slub.c:2705 mm/slub.c:6405 mm/slub.c:6720) ovs_meter_cmd_set (net/openvswitch/meter.c:479) ... netlink_sendmsg (af_netlink.c:1900) Fix that by making sure attach_meter() doesn't make the meter visible until all the checks are done and the function can't fail anymore. This also makes sure the "hash" value is calculated after the potential re-sizing of the table. Reported by Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative as ZDI-CAN-31642.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-15
Last Modified
2026-08-19
Generated
2026-09-04
AI Q&A
2026-08-15
EPSS Evaluated
2026-09-03
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
openvswitch openvswitch *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This is a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Open vSwitch (OVS) module. It occurs when a meter is attached but fails later, making it visible to other CPUs before cleanup. The ovs_meter_cmd_set() function frees the meter without waiting for RCU readers, causing a UAF when ovs_meter_execute() tries to access it.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's Open vSwitch (OVS) implementation and may not have direct detection commands. Monitor kernel logs for slab-use-after-free errors related to OVS meter operations. Check for crashes in ovs_meter_execute or related OVS processes. Use tools like dmesg or journalctl to inspect kernel logs for KASAN reports or similar errors.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to system crashes, data corruption, or privilege escalation if exploited. It may allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial-of-service conditions by triggering the UAF condition through a custom application using the OVS uAPI.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability is a use-after-free (UAF) issue in the Linux kernel's Open vSwitch module. It does not directly relate to data privacy or security controls required by GDPR or HIPAA. The impact is limited to potential kernel crashes or instability in systems using Open vSwitch meters via custom applications, which could indirectly affect service availability but not data protection compliance.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel patch that fixes this issue. If patching is not immediately possible, avoid using custom applications that interact with OVS meters via uAPI. Restrict access to OVS meter configuration to trusted users only. Monitor for unusual activity in OVS-related processes.

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