Linux Kernel up to 7.0.9 xdp_master_redirect rr_tx_counter null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.0.9. This vulnerability affects the function xdp_master_redirect. Performing a manipulation of the argument rr_tx_counter results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-53069. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.0.9. This affects the function xdp_master_redirect. The manipulation of the argument rr_tx_counter with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net, bpf: fix null-ptr-deref in xdp_master_redirect() for down master syzkaller reported a kernel panic in bond_rr_gen_slave_id() reached via xdp_master_redirect(). Full decoded trace: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=80e046b8da2820b6ba73 bond_rr_gen_slave_id() dereferences bond->rr_tx_counter, a per-CPU counter that bonding only allocates in bond_open() when the mode is round-robin. If the bond device was never brought up, rr_tx_counter stays NULL. The XDP redirect path can still reach that code on a bond that was never opened: bpf_master_redirect_enabled_key is a global static key, so as soon as any bond device has native XDP attached, the XDP_TX -> xdp_master_redirect() interception is enabled for every slave system-wide. The path xdp_master_redirect() -> bond_xdp_get_xmit_slave() -> bond_xdp_xmit_roundrobin_slave_get() -> bond_rr_gen_slave_id() then runs against a bond that has no rr_tx_counter and crashes. Fix this in the generic xdp_master_redirect() by refusing to call into the master's ->ndo_xdp_get_xmit_slave() when the master device is not up. IFF_UP is only set after ->ndo_open() has successfully returned, so this reliably excludes masters whose XDP state has not been fully initialized. Drop the frame with XDP_ABORTED so the exception is visible via trace_xdp_exception() rather than silently falling through. This is not specific to bonding: any current or future master that defers XDP state allocation to ->ndo_open() is protected.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-53069 since 06/09/2026. The exploitability is told to be difficult. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 06/24/2026).

Upgrading to version 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33 or 7.0.10 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 3128b294b426533c8d9162187446d93a8a160359/acbf45bd584d924b320bee2a7fe2a26f64904d95/866d3d9b87751b1944168fd82615505e0c0fd6cf/183128da0406b1c10e6f60b7b9fe70788b9c8c1d/7bad93e99737e4a5c0c14ac50c05152cf4e28022/ea690b3b6e58ae00979af8195b4cc24df466b65e/1921f91298d1388a0bb9db8f83800c998b649cb3 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.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.208
• 6.1.174
• 6.6.140
• 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
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• 6.12.77
• 6.12.78
• 6.12.79
• 6.12.80
• 6.12.81
• 6.12.82
• 6.12.83
• 6.12.84
• 6.12.85
• 6.12.86
• 6.12.87
• 6.12.88
• 6.12.89
• 6.12.90
• 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
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• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
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• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
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• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 7.0.0
• 7.0.1
• 7.0.2
• 7.0.3
• 7.0.4
• 7.0.5
• 7.0.6
• 7.0.7
• 7.0.8
• 7.0.9

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

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