How severe is CVE-2026-53212?

CVE-2026-53212 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-53212 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (3rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-53212?

CVE-2026-53212 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-53212?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-53212 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-53212 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-39303.

When was CVE-2026-53212 published?

CVE-2026-53212 was published on 2026-06-25 and last updated on 2026-07-02.

CVE-2026-53212

CVE-2026-53212 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (3rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-39303
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2026-06-25
Last modified: 2026-07-02

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_tunnel: fix use-after-free on object destroy nft_tunnel_obj_destroy() calls metadata_dst_free() which directly kfree()s the metadata_dst, ignoring the dst_entry refcount. Packets that took a reference via dst_hold() in nft_tunnel_obj_eval() and are still queued (e.g. in a netem qdisc) are left with a dangling pointer. When these packets are eventually dequeued, dst_release() operates on freed memory. Replace metadata_dst_free() with dst_release() so the metadata_dst is freed only after all references are dropped. The dst subsystem already handles metadata_dst cleanup in dst_destroy() when DST_METADATA is set.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-53212?: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_tunnel: fix use-after-free on object destroy nft_tunnel_obj_destroy() calls metadata_dst_free() which directly kfree()s the metadata_dst, ignoring the dst_entry refcount. Packets that took a reference via dst_hold() in nft_tunnel_obj_eval() and are still queued (e.g. in a netem qdisc) are left with a dangling pointer. When these packets are eventually dequeued, dst_release() operates on freed memory. Replace metadata_dst_free() with dst_release() so the metadata_dst is freed only after all references are dropped. The dst subsystem already handles metadata_dst cleanup in dst_destroy() when DST_METADATA is set.
How severe is CVE-2026-53212?: CVE-2026-53212 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-53212 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (3rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-53212?: CVE-2026-53212 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53212?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-53212 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-53212 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-39303.
When was CVE-2026-53212 published?: CVE-2026-53212 was published on 2026-06-25 and last updated on 2026-07-02.

References

Affected products (7)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*

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