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CVE-2026-98851

netfilter: nft_flow_offload: drop flowtable reference on init error path

CVSS score

—

EPSS probability

—

Risk score

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Published

1 d ago

Patch status has not yet been verified

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Vulnerability description

CVE AI research

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DayBreach AI Explanation

Verified against sources

Linux Kernel Netfilter Component Resource Leak Vulnerability

Sources read

1

Source agreement

Tam uyum

Evidence confidence

%55

Short explanation

A reference leak and resource management issue exists in the nft_flow_offload_init function within the Linux kernel netfilter subsystem.

Why does it matter?

Failed rule addition attempts lead to leaked flowtable references, preventing flowtable removal and causing -EBUSY errors.

What should be done?

  • Follow vendor advisories
  • Review relevant kernel updates
Chain of evidence and sources2 verified claims

nft_flow_offload_init işlevi nft_use_inc ile akış tablosu kullanım sayısını artırır ancak nf_ct_netns_get başarısız olduğunda referans sızar.

Başarısız kural eklemeleri akış tablosu referansının sızmasına neden olur ve NFT_MSG_DELFLOWTABLE -EBUSY hatası bildirir.

Show the technical text from the sources

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_flow_offload: drop flowtable reference on init error path nft_flow_offload_init() bumps the flowtable use count with nft_use_inc() before calling nf_ct_netns_get(). When the latter fails, the error is returned as-is and the reference is leaked. The upper layers do not balance it either: nf_tables_newexpr() clears expr->ops when the expression init callback fails, so the nft_expr_more() iteration in nft_rule_expr_deactivate() and nf_tables_rule_destroy() stops right before the failed expression and its ->destroy callback, which would drop the reference, never runs. Each failed rule addition therefore leaks one flowtable reference and the flowtable can no longer be removed: NFT_MSG_DELFLOWTABLE keeps reporting -EBUSY even though no rule references it. Save the nf_ct_netns_get() return value and undo the nft_use_inc() when it fails, restoring the inc/dec pairing within nft_flow_offload_init() itself.

Explanation produced with the local gemini-flash-lite-latest model. Numerical metrics and the KEV, patch and exploit statuses are not determined by AI.

IMPACT: Affected Products and Software

Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-98851 vulnerability. Where our threat engine knows the exact affected versions, they are listed below.

IDVENDORPRODUCTACTION
1linuxLinux View
2linuxLinux View
Total affected vendors: 1|Products: 2

RED HAT CSAF/VEX: Product Impact Check

Red Hat has not yet published a CSAF/VEX impact record for this CVE. This does not mean “not affected”.

SCORING: CVSS from Multiple Sources

CVSS Scores

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardised framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and display CVSS scores from several sources for each CVE.

SCOREVERSIONSEVERITYVECTORSOURCE
The sources have not yet published a verified CVSS metric.

Patch and Remediation Guide

Solution & Remediation Advisory

Patch status unknown

İncelenen resmî kaynaklarda yama durumu doğrulanamadı. Bu sonuç “yama yok” anlamına gelmez.

Confirm the affected product and version against the source evidence above.
Restrict access to internet-facing services and apply network segmentation.
Until a patch is confirmed, follow the vendor advisory; do not read an unknown status as “no patch”.
Monitor server logs and network endpoints for signs of anomalous execution.

Public exploit and active exploitation status

Verified exploit intelligence

No verified public PoC, exploit repository or Metasploit module has been found for this CVE yet.

Weakness Classification and Attack Patterns (CWE & CAPEC)

CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorises the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-98851 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-98851 weaknesses.

Official Sources and Advisories

Yama durumu bilinmiyor

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