Linux Kernel up to 6.12.82/6.18.23/6.19.13 netfilter ports_match_v1 ports[] encoding error

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.82/6.18.23/6.19.13. The impacted element is the function ports_match_v1 of the component netfilter. The manipulation of the argument ports[] results in encoding error. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2026-31681. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.82/6.18.23/6.19.13. Affected is the function ports_match_v1 of the component netfilter. The manipulation of the argument ports[] with an unknown input leads to a encoding error vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-172. The product does not properly encode or decode the data, resulting in unexpected values. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: xt_multiport: validate range encoding in checkentry ports_match_v1() treats any non-zero pflags entry as the start of a port range and unconditionally consumes the next ports[] element as the range end. The checkentry path currently validates protocol, flags and count, but it does not validate the range encoding itself. As a result, malformed rules can mark the last slot as a range start or place two range starts back to back, leaving ports_match_v1() to step past the last valid ports[] element while interpreting the rule. Reject malformed multiport v1 rules in checkentry by validating that each range start has a following element and that the following element is not itself marked as another range start.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-31681 since 03/09/2026. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 06/04/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 310347 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-31681), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.83, 6.18.24 or 6.19.14 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch aec14808271f2bf2b656de6ff12dfe73c5fd3b67/8368ce8eb01f0b91111d814703696e780d0ef12f/1e4baa853f1cc4227e04f52d6860524707cfb294/ff64c5bfef12461df8450e0f50bb693b5269c720 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (310347) and EUVD (EUVD-2026-25648). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.12.44
• 6.12.45
• 6.12.46
• 6.12.47
• 6.12.48
• 6.12.49
• 6.12.50
• 6.12.51
• 6.12.52
• 6.12.53
• 6.12.54
• 6.12.55
• 6.12.56
• 6.12.57
• 6.12.58
• 6.12.59
• 6.12.60
• 6.12.61
• 6.12.62
• 6.12.63
• 6.12.64
• 6.12.65
• 6.12.66
• 6.12.67
• 6.12.68
• 6.12.69
• 6.12.70
• 6.12.71
• 6.12.72
• 6.12.73
• 6.12.74
• 6.12.75
• 6.12.76
• 6.12.77
• 6.12.78
• 6.12.79
• 6.12.80
• 6.12.81
• 6.12.82
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.19.0
• 6.19.1
• 6.19.2
• 6.19.3
• 6.19.4
• 6.19.5
• 6.19.6
• 6.19.7
• 6.19.8
• 6.19.9
• 6.19.10
• 6.19.11
• 6.19.12
• 6.19.13

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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