CVE-2026-72418
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: nf_conncount: prevent connlimit drops for early confirmed ct
Commit 69894e5b4c5e ("netfilter: nft_connlimit: update the count if add was skipped") introduced a regression where packets for valid connections are dropped when using connlimit for soft-limiting scenarios.
The issue occurs when a new connection reuses a socket currently in the TIME_WAIT state. In this scenario, the connection tracking entry is evaluated as already confirmed. Previously, __nf_conncount_add() assumed that if a connection was confirmed and did not originate from the loopback interface, it should skip the addition and return -EEXIST.
Leer descripción completaMostrar menos
Skipping the addition triggers a garbage collection run that cleans up the TIME_WAIT connection. Consequently, the active connection count drops to 0, which xt_connlimit mishandles, leading to the false rejection of the perfectly valid new connection.
Fix this by replacing the interface check with protocol-agnostic state checks. We now skip the tree insertion and preserve the lockless garbage collection optimization only if the connection is IPS_ASSURED. This allows early-confirmed setup packets (such as reused TIME_WAIT sockets or locally generated SYN-ACKs) to be properly evaluated and counted without falsely dropping. The goto check_connections path is maintained to ensure these setup packets are deduplicated correctly.
This has been tested with slowhttptest and HTTP server configured locally to ensure we are not breaking soft-limiting scenarios for local or external connections. In addition, it was tested with a OVS zone limit too.
CVSS
- Versión: 3.1
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Puntuación base: 7.5
Probabilidad de explotación (EPSS)
- Probabilidad de explotación en los próximos 30 días: 0.72%
- Percentil entre todas las CVEs puntuadas: 52
- Fecha de la puntuación: 6/10/2026
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, de FIRST) estima la probabilidad de que una vulnerabilidad sea explotada en 30 días. Complementa a CVSS (impacto) y a CISA KEV (explotación confirmada).
🎯 Técnicas ATT&CK
Cómo se explota esta vulnerabilidad y qué consigue el atacante, en el lenguaje de MITRE ATT&CK.
- Explotación
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Applicationinitial access60 % - Impacto principal
T1499Endpoint Denial of Serviceimpact55 %
Inferido por reglas deterministas a partir del vector CVSS y la CWE. Solo orientativo.
🛡️ Mitigaciones ATT&CK que cubren estas técnicas
Tecnologías afectadas (1)
⚠ Inferidas por IA a partir de la descripción — NVD aún no ha analizado esta CVE; no son CPE verificados.
Referencias
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/000ac6830b56499d6b65fd91486ce6689eb02be4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/329f2626ee5cb8fafdf6b58b624311529c57cb45
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3793d24de224943e0a6016bbeffb6f5c4cea2e3d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/abef7f817217fcb62c11821d6b895063eadb2828
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be52572c6d55f677ba76869d3c63805c0d4891a3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c8b6f36f766991e3ebebec6596daee4b04dcbc49
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cbe2d14a7c5b1fc71821fbfee5c4963917411e92
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ebfe8249ba79e4ff0f1e3aad8787b992ef27f026
JSON original (NVD)
Mostrar
{
"id": "CVE-2026-72418",
"cveTags": [],
"metrics": {
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{
"type": "Secondary",
"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
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"scope": "UNCHANGED",
"version": "3.1",
"baseScore": 7.5,
"attackVector": "NETWORK",
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
"integrityImpact": "NONE",
"userInteraction": "NONE",
"attackComplexity": "LOW",
"availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"privilegesRequired": "NONE",
"confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
},
"impactScore": 3.6,
"exploitabilityScore": 3.9
}
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"published": "2026-08-15T06:22:15.420",
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}
],
"vulnStatus": "Received",
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnetfilter: nf_conncount: prevent connlimit drops for early confirmed ct\n\nCommit 69894e5b4c5e (\"netfilter: nft_connlimit: update the count if add\nwas skipped\") introduced a regression where packets for valid\nconnections are dropped when using connlimit for soft-limiting\nscenarios.\n\nThe issue occurs when a new connection reuses a socket currently in\nthe TIME_WAIT state. In this scenario, the connection tracking entry\nis evaluated as already confirmed. Previously, __nf_conncount_add()\nassumed that if a connection was confirmed and did not originate from\nthe loopback interface, it should skip the addition and return -EEXIST.\n\nSkipping the addition triggers a garbage collection run that cleans up\nthe TIME_WAIT connection. Consequently, the active connection count\ndrops to 0, which xt_connlimit mishandles, leading to the false rejection\nof the perfectly valid new connection.\n\nFix this by replacing the interface check with protocol-agnostic state\nchecks. We now skip the tree insertion and preserve the lockless garbage\ncollection optimization only if the connection is IPS_ASSURED. This\nallows early-confirmed setup packets (such as reused TIME_WAIT sockets\nor locally generated SYN-ACKs) to be properly evaluated and counted\nwithout falsely dropping. The goto check_connections path is maintained\nto ensure these setup packets are deduplicated correctly.\n\nThis has been tested with slowhttptest and HTTP server configured\nlocally to ensure we are not breaking soft-limiting scenarios for local\nor external connections. In addition, it was tested with a OVS zone\nlimit too."
}
],
"lastModified": "2026-08-17T06:19:08.717",
"sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
}