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CVE-2026-93105

Status: ReceivedHigh (7.8)—

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

esp: do not unref managed frag pages in esp_ssg_unref()

esp_ssg_unref() releases the page references held on the source scatterlist after the AEAD operation completes. It calls skb_page_unref() on every frag page for an out-of-place transform (req->src != req->dst), and in the error path of esp_output_tail() (already_unref == true) on the request's own scatterlist.

This is wrong when the skb carries managed frags (SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS). Managed frags are owned by a zerocopy ubuf and the skb does not hold a per-frag page reference; io_uring SEND_ZC with a registered buffer attaches the bvec pages this way via io_sg_from_iter(). The rest of the stack honours this invariant: skb_release_data() skips the per-frag unref when SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS is set, and skb_zcopy_managed() is the guard used at the other unref sites.

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esp_ssg_unref() is missing that guard, so for a managed-frag skb it drops a page reference the skb never acquired. This can underflow the page reference count and free a page that is still in use.

Guard the function with skb_zcopy_managed() so both unref paths are skipped for managed-frag skbs, matching skb_release_data().

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

🎯 ATT&CK techniques

How this vulnerability is exploited and what the attacker gains, in MITRE ATT&CK terms.

Vulnerabilidad local de kernel (AV:L/PR:L) que causa liberación incorrecta de referencias de página, permitiendo escalada de privilegios y potencial DoS por corrupción de memoria o acceso a datos sensibles.

Inferred by our analysis agent from the official description, CVSS vector and CWE, and checked by a supervisor. May contain errors.

🛡️ ATT&CK mitigations that cover these techniques

Affected technologies (1)

⚠ AI-inferred from the description — NVD hasn't analyzed this CVE yet, these aren't verified CPEs.

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2026-93105",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 7.8,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "product": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "cac2661c53f35cbe651bef9b07026a5a05ab8ce0",
              "lessThan": "26b6b14c7a0368e317a1e9fb5144ebe6f8d495cf",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "cac2661c53f35cbe651bef9b07026a5a05ab8ce0",
              "lessThan": "21697720ff43b8dfa25b8e8d9ca7f56f4597fc80",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ],
          "programFiles": [
            "net/ipv4/esp4.c",
            "net/ipv6/esp6.c"
          ],
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected"
        },
        {
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "product": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "4.11"
            },
            {
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "lessThan": "4.11",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2.6",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*"
            },
            {
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.3-rc1",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*"
            }
          ],
          "programFiles": [
            "net/ipv4/esp4.c",
            "net/ipv6/esp6.c"
          ],
          "defaultStatus": "affected"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2026-09-17T17:18:04.847",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/21697720ff43b8dfa25b8e8d9ca7f56f4597fc80",
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26b6b14c7a0368e317a1e9fb5144ebe6f8d495cf",
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Received",
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nesp: do not unref managed frag pages in esp_ssg_unref()\n\nesp_ssg_unref() releases the page references held on the source\nscatterlist after the AEAD operation completes.  It calls\nskb_page_unref() on every frag page for an out-of-place transform\n(req->src != req->dst), and in the error path of esp_output_tail()\n(already_unref == true) on the request's own scatterlist.\n\nThis is wrong when the skb carries managed frags\n(SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS).  Managed frags are owned by a zerocopy ubuf\nand the skb does not hold a per-frag page reference; io_uring SEND_ZC\nwith a registered buffer attaches the bvec pages this way via\nio_sg_from_iter().  The rest of the stack honours this invariant:\nskb_release_data() skips the per-frag unref when SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS\nis set, and skb_zcopy_managed() is the guard used at the other unref\nsites.\n\nesp_ssg_unref() is missing that guard, so for a managed-frag skb it\ndrops a page reference the skb never acquired.  This can underflow the\npage reference count and free a page that is still in use.\n\nGuard the function with skb_zcopy_managed() so both unref paths are\nskipped for managed-frag skbs, matching skb_release_data()."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-09-18T18:18:20.667",
  "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
}