Linux Kernel up to 7.2.2 espintcp espintcp_close use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
9.5	$5k-$25k	0.41

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.2 and classified as very critical. This impacts the function espintcp_close of the component espintcp. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-80848. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.2. This affects the function espintcp_close of the component espintcp. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: espintcp: fix UAF during close ZDI reported and analyzed a race condition during close for espintcp sockets: espintcp_close() frees emsg->skb via kfree_skb() without holding any socket lock. Concurrently, the xfrm_trans_reinject work queue invokes esp_output_tcp_finish() -> espintcp_push_skb() -> espintcp_push_msgs() -> skb_send_sock_locked(), which reads the same skb as a data source. Fix this by adding a synchronize_rcu() call after resetting sk_prot, since esp_output_tcp_finish() runs under RCU and won't use a socket with sk_prot == &tcp_prot. Simply taking the socket lock in espintcp_close() could lead to leaks, if esp_output_tcp_finish() re-adds an skb in the slot we just freed. After this, the existing barrier() is no longer needed.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-80848 since 08/26/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. No form of authentication is needed for exploitation. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/04/2026).

Upgrading to version 5.10.269, 5.15.220, 6.1.187, 6.6.156, 6.12.108, 6.18.49, 7.1.13, 7.2.3 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 29121c5e6591da527e8e36ddac7120dc527f574d/ed5d9102190c45fc70121c036b0626b740040b75/4bc0dfa28dca6fc0084203732695968049c44072/ff8dd7a932f34409a56e1b91a1219340f17457e9/4b31a875693c480c611519faca46216514e3e052/24efebecf415ba264adba0f0491cec436463a14f/eb3bbf29c723fe75c0eb92be14f0ec92971fe272/54b41ad14da9a981131ab6e4d3f79321a503ea5d/deb232e884877bf10b4ce2580909eedec986c284 is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.10.268
• 5.15.219
• 6.1.186
• 6.6.155
• 6.12.107
• 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
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 7.1.0
• 7.1.1
• 7.1.2
• 7.1.3
• 7.1.4
• 7.1.5
• 7.1.6
• 7.1.7
• 7.1.8
• 7.1.9
• 7.1.10
• 7.1.11
• 7.1.12
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.5

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 9.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.269/5.15.220/6.1.187/6.6.156/6.12.108/6.18.49/7.1.13/7.2.3/7.3-rc1
Patch: 29121c5e6591da527e8e36ddac7120dc527f574d/ed5d9102190c45fc70121c036b0626b740040b75/4bc0dfa28dca6fc0084203732695968049c44072/ff8dd7a932f34409a56e1b91a1219340f17457e9/4b31a875693c480c611519faca46216514e3e052/24efebecf415ba264adba0f0491cec436463a14f/eb3bbf29c723fe75c0eb92be14f0ec92971fe272/54b41ad14da9a981131ab6e4d3f79321a503ea5d/deb232e884877bf10b4ce2580909eedec986c284

Timelineinfo

08/26/2026 CVE reserved
09/04/2026 +9 days Advisory disclosed
09/04/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/04/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-80848 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-80848
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-399045

Entryinfo

Created: 09/04/2026 19:04
Changes: 09/04/2026 19:04 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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