CVE-2026-53089: linux Use After Free

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-53089 is a high (CVSS 7.8) Use After Free vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.12% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 1.5% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 24-06-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 02-09-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix use-after-free in offloaded map/prog info fill When querying info for an offloaded BPF map or program, bpf_map_offload_info_fill_ns() and bpf_prog_offload_info_fill_ns() obtain the network namespace with get_net(dev_net(offmap->netdev)). However, the associated netdev's netns may be racing with teardown during netns destruction. If the netns refcount has already reached 0, get_net() performs a refcount_t increment on 0, triggering: refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free. Although rtnl_lock and bpf_devs_lock ensure the netdev pointer remains valid, they cannot prevent the netns refcount from reaching zero. Fix this by using maybe_get_net() instead of get_net(). maybe_get_net() uses refcount_inc_not_zero() and returns NULL if the refcount is already zero, which causes ns_get_path_cb() to fail and the caller to return -ENOENT -- the correct behavior when the netns is being destroyed.

• CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.