Skip to content
OpenAdvisories
Unscored CVE-2025-71160 EUVD-2026-4318GHSA-3xmc-22wh-x2gr

netfilter: nf_tables: avoid chain re-validation if possible

Published Jan 23, 2026 · Updated Nov 5, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

Vendor: Linux Product: Linux Package: kernel Package: linux Package: linux Package: linux-allwinner-5.19 Package: linux-aws Package: linux-aws-5.0 Package: linux-aws-5.11 Package: linux-aws-5.13 Package: linux-aws-5.15 Package: linux-aws-5.19 Package: linux-aws-5.3 Package: linux-aws-5.4 Package: linux-aws-5.8 Package: linux-aws-6.14 Package: linux-aws-6.17 Package: linux-aws-6.2 Package: linux-aws-6.5 Package: linux-aws-6.8 Package: linux-aws-fips Package: linux-azure Package: linux-azure-5.11 Package: linux-azure-5.13 Package: linux-azure-5.15 Package: linux-azure-5.19 Package: linux-azure-5.3 Package: linux-azure-5.4 Package: linux-azure-5.8 Package: linux-azure-6.11 Package: linux-azure-6.14 Package: linux-azure-6.17 Package: linux-azure-6.2 Package: linux-azure-6.5 Package: linux-azure-6.8 Package: linux-azure-edge Package: linux-azure-fde Package: linux-azure-fde-5.15 Package: linux-azure-fde-5.19 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.14 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.2 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.8 Package: linux-azure-fips Package: linux-azure-nvidia Package: linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 Package: linux-bluefield Package: linux-fips Package: linux-gcp Package: linux-gcp-5.11 Package: linux-gcp-5.13 Package: linux-gcp-5.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.19 Package: linux-gcp-5.3 Package: linux-gcp-5.4 Package: linux-gcp-5.8 Package: linux-gcp-6.11 Package: linux-gcp-6.14 Package: linux-gcp-6.17 Package: linux-gcp-6.2 Package: linux-gcp-6.5 Package: linux-gcp-6.8 Package: linux-gcp-fips Package: linux-gke Package: linux-gke-4.15 Package: linux-gke-5.15 Package: linux-gke-5.4 Package: linux-gkeop Package: linux-gkeop-5.15 Package: linux-gkeop-5.4 Package: linux-hwe Package: linux-hwe-5.11 Package: linux-hwe-5.13 Package: linux-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-hwe-5.4 Package: linux-hwe-5.8 Package: linux-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-hwe-6.14 Package: linux-hwe-6.17 Package: linux-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-hwe-edge Package: linux-ibm Package: linux-ibm-5.15 Package: linux-ibm-5.4 Package: linux-ibm-6.8 Package: linux-intel-5.13 Package: linux-intel-iot-realtime Package: linux-intel-iotg Package: linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Package: linux-iot Package: linux-kvm Package: linux-lowlatency Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-nvidia Package: linux-nvidia-6.11 Package: linux-nvidia-6.17 Package: linux-nvidia-6.2 Package: linux-nvidia-6.5 Package: linux-nvidia-6.8 Package: linux-nvidia-lowlatency Package: linux-nvidia-tegra Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Package: linux-oem Package: linux-oem-5.10 Package: linux-oem-5.13 Package: linux-oem-5.14 Package: linux-oem-5.17 Package: linux-oem-5.6 Package: linux-oem-6.0 Package: linux-oem-6.1 Package: linux-oem-6.11 Package: linux-oem-6.14 Package: linux-oem-6.17 Package: linux-oem-6.5 Package: linux-oem-6.8 Package: linux-oracle Package: linux-oracle-5.0 Package: linux-oracle-5.11 Package: linux-oracle-5.13 Package: linux-oracle-5.15 Package: linux-oracle-5.3 Package: linux-oracle-5.4 Package: linux-oracle-5.8 Package: linux-oracle-6.14 Package: linux-oracle-6.17 Package: linux-oracle-6.5 Package: linux-oracle-6.8 Package: linux-raspi Package: linux-raspi-5.4 Package: linux-raspi-realtime Package: linux-raspi2 Package: linux-realtime Package: linux-realtime-6.14 Package: linux-realtime-6.17 Package: linux-realtime-6.8 Package: linux-riscv Package: linux-riscv-5.11 Package: linux-riscv-5.15 Package: linux-riscv-5.19 Package: linux-riscv-5.8 Package: linux-riscv-6.14 Package: linux-riscv-6.17 Package: linux-riscv-6.5 Package: linux-riscv-6.8 Package: linux-starfive-5.19 Package: linux-starfive-6.2 Package: linux-starfive-6.5 Package: linux-vmware Package: linux-xilinx Package: linux-xilinx-zynqmp Platform: Linux Ecosystem: Azure Linux Ecosystem: Debian Ecosystem: Ubuntu

Description

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

netfilter: nf_tables: avoid chain re-validation if possible

Hamza Mahfooz reports cpu soft lock-ups in
nft_chain_validate():

watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#1 stuck for 27s! [iptables-nft-re:37547]
[..]
RIP: 0010:nft_chain_validate+0xcb/0x110 [nf_tables]
[..]
nft_immediate_validate+0x36/0x50 [nf_tables]
nft_chain_validate+0xc9/0x110 [nf_tables]
nft_immediate_validate+0x36/0x50 [nf_tables]
nft_chain_validate+0xc9/0x110 [nf_tables]
nft_immediate_validate+0x36/0x50 [nf_tables]
nft_chain_validate+0xc9/0x110 [nf_tables]
nft_immediate_validate+0x36/0x50 [nf_tables]
nft_chain_validate+0xc9/0x110 [nf_tables]
nft_immediate_validate+0x36/0x50 [nf_tables]
nft_chain_validate+0xc9/0x110 [nf_tables]
nft_immediate_validate+0x36/0x50 [nf_tables]
nft_chain_validate+0xc9/0x110 [nf_tables]
nft_table_validate+0x6b/0xb0 [nf_tables]
nf_tables_validate+0x8b/0xa0 [nf_tables]
nf_tables_commit+0x1df/0x1eb0 [nf_tables]
[..]

Currently nf_tables will traverse the entire table (chain graph), starting
from the entry points (base chains), exploring all possible paths
(chain jumps). But there are cases where we could avoid revalidation.

Consider:
1 input -> j2 -> j3
2 input -> j2 -> j3
3 input -> j1 -> j2 -> j3

Then the second rule does not need to revalidate j2, and, by extension j3,
because this was already checked during validation of the first rule.
We need to validate it only for rule 3.

This is needed because chain loop detection also ensures we do not exceed
the jump stack: Just because we know that j2 is cycle free, its last jump
might now exceed the allowed stack size. We also need to update all
reachable chains with the new largest observed call depth.

Care has to be taken to revalidate even if the chain depth won't be an
issue: chain validation also ensures that expressions are not called from
invalid base chains. For example, the masquerade expression can only be
called from NAT postrouting base chains.

Therefore we also need to keep record of the base chain context (type,
hooknum) and revalidate if the chain becomes reachable from a different
hook location.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Linux Linux 4.18 6.6.121

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 14 linux 6.18.8-1 —
Debian 13 linux 6.12.69-1 DSA-6126-1
Debian 12 linux No fix yet —
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS linux-bluefield 6.8.0-1022.26 —
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS linux-bluefield No fix yet —
Ubuntu 25.10 linux +8 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux 6.8.0-117.117 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-aws 6.8.0-1055.58 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure 6.8.0-1056.62 USN-8278-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-6.17 6.17.0-1021.21~24.04.1 USN-8604-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 6.8.0-1058.65 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-6.17 6.17.0-1018.18~24.04.1 USN-8605-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-nvidia 6.8.0-1039.42 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gcp 6.8.0-1058.61 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gcp-6.17 6.17.0-1021.24~24.04.1 USN-8570-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gke 6.8.0-1054.60 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gkeop 6.8.0-1041.44 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-hwe-6.17 6.17.0-41.41~24.04.1 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-ibm 6.8.0-1055.56 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-lowlatency 6.8.0-117.117.1 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia 6.8.0-1054.57 USN-8289-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-6.17 6.17.0-1031.31 USN-8669-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 6.8.0-1054.57.1 USN-8289-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 6.8.0-1024.24 USN-8296-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oem-6.17 6.17.0-1030.30 USN-8594-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oracle 6.8.0-1054.55 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oracle-6.17 6.17.0-1019.19~24.04.3 USN-8570-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-raspi 6.8.0-1056.60 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-riscv +20 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-xilinx 6.8.0-1032.33 USN-8499-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux +49 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws-6.8 6.8.0-1057.60~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-6.8 6.8.0-1059.65~22.04.1 USN-8440-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-6.8 6.8.0-1058.65~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-6.8 6.8.0-1060.63~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-hwe-6.8 6.8.0-124.124~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm-6.8 6.8.0-1055.56~22.04.1 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 6.8.0-117.117.1~22.04.1 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 6.8.0-1054.57~22.04.1 USN-8289-2
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle-6.8 6.8.0-1054.55~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-riscv-6.8 6.8.0-117.117~22.04.1 —
Show 12 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-gke +28 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS linux-gcp +14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS linux-hwe-edge No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-raspi-realtime 6.8.0-2045.46 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime 6.8.1-1051.52 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.17 6.17.0-1018.20~24.04.1 USN-8570-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime +1 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.8 6.8.1-1051.52~22.04.1 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 6.8.0-1055.58+fips1 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fips 6.8.0-1059.65+fips1 USN-8393-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-fips 6.8.0-116.116+fips1 USN-8296-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips 6.8.0-1058.61+fips1 USN-8278-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux +21 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS linux-aws-5.4 +6 No fix yet —

Amazon Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Amazon Linux 2023 kernel-livepatch-6.12.66-88.122 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-1488
Amazon Linux 2023 perf6.12 +14 1:6.12.66-88.122.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-1488

Azure Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Azure Linux 3 kernel 6.6.121.1-1 —
Azure Linux 2 (CBL-Mariner) kernel No fix yet —

Oracle Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Oracle Linux 9 kernel-uek +34 6.12.0-109.67.6.el10uek ELSA-2026-50144

Advisories 19

References