CVE-2026-98322
Received Received - Intake

Uninitialized Memory Disclosure in Linux Kernel Netfilter

Publication date: 2026-10-06

Last updated on: 2026-10-06

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_nat: fully initialise new_addr in netmap setup nft_nat_setup_netmap() builds the mapped address in an on-stack union nf_inet_addr. For an IPv4 mapping it writes only the 4-byte .ip member and the loop runs a single 32-bit iteration, but it then copies the whole 16-byte union into range->min_addr and range->max_addr, so the upper 12 bytes reach nf_nat_setup_info() uninitialised. KMSAN reports an uninit-value in nf_nat_setup_info() reached from nft_nat_eval(). The IPv6 path fills all 16 bytes and is not affected. Zero-initialise new_addr.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-06
Last Modified
2026-10-06
Generated
2026-10-06
AI Q&A
2026-10-06
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98322
EUVD
EUVD-2026-93307

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 9 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 3ff7ddb1353da9b535e65702704cbadea1da9a00
Linux Linux 5.8

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves incomplete initialization of an address structure in the netfilter subsystem. When setting up network address translation (NAT) mappings, only part of the address is properly set, leaving the rest uninitialized. This uninitialized memory can then be used in security-sensitive operations, potentially leading to information disclosure or other security issues.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's netfilter subsystem and involves uninitialized memory in IPv4 address handling. Detection requires checking kernel logs for KMSAN (Kernel Memory Sanitizer) reports or examining the kernel version for affected code paths. Commands like 'dmesg | grep KMSAN' or 'uname -a' to check kernel version may help identify exposure.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to read uninitialized memory in the kernel, potentially exposing sensitive data like network addresses or other system information. It may also lead to unexpected behavior or crashes in network-related services.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Linux kernel to a patched version where this issue is resolved. Monitor vendor advisories for kernel updates. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict use of nft_nat rules in netfilter to reduce attack surface until the kernel is updated.

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