CVE-2026-53248: Linux Kernel

High severity, CVSS 8.8. EPSS: 0.4% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: airoha: Fix use-after-free in metadata dst teardown airoha_metadata_dst_free() runs metadata_dst_free() which frees the metadata_dst with kfree() immediately, bypassing the RCU grace period. In the RX path, skb_dst_set_noref() sets a non-refcounted pointer from the skb to the metadata_dst. This function requires RCU read-side protection and the dst must remain valid until all RCU readers complete. Since metadata_dst_free() calls kfree() directly, an use-after-free can occur if any skb still holds a noref pointer to the dst when the driver tears it down. Replace metadata_dst_free() with dst_release() which properly goes through the refcount path: when the refcount drops to zero, it schedules the actual free via call_rcu_hurry(), ensuring all RCU readers have completed before the memory is freed.

Affected products

• Linux Linux Kernel: from 6.15, before 6.18.36 (fixed in 6.18.36); from 6.19, before 7.0.13 (fixed in 7.0.13); version 7.1 only

Published 2026-06-25. Last modified 2026-07-07.