CVE-2026-23441

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Prevent concurrent access to IPSec ASO context The query or updating IPSec offload object is through Access ASO WQE. The driver uses a single mlx5e_ipsec_aso struct for each PF, which contains a shared DMA-mapped context for all ASO operations. A race condition exists because the ASO spinlock is released before the hardware has finished processing WQE. If a second operation is initiated immediately after, it overwrites the shared context in the DMA area. When the first operation's completion is processed later, it reads this corrupted context, leading to unexpected behavior and incorrect results. This commit fixes the race by introducing a private context within each IPSec offload object. The shared ASO context is now copied to this private context while the ASO spinlock is held. Subsequent processing uses this saved, per-object context, ensuring its integrity is maintained.

CVSS Details

CVSS Score

4.7

Severity

MEDIUM

CVSS Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Configurations (Affected Products)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* - VULNERABLE

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:* - VULNERABLE

Linux Kernel (Versions containing vulnerable net/mlx5e driver prior to fix commits)

PoC / Exploit Code

⚠ For Security Research Only

The following code is for security research and authorized testing only.

python

#include <pthread.h>
#include <unistd.h>

// Conceptual PoC for triggering the race condition
// Requires a vulnerable Linux kernel with mlx5 hardware

void *trigger_aso_update(void *arg) {
    // Simulate rapid IPSec SA updates that hit the ASO context
    for (int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
        // In a real exploit, this invokes netlink/ioctl to update IPSec state
        // Example: ip xfrm state update ...
        usleep(1);
    }
    return NULL;
}

int main() {
    pthread_t t1, t2;
    
    // Create two threads to race on the shared ASO context
    pthread_create(&t1, NULL, trigger_aso_update, NULL);
    pthread_create(&t2, NULL, trigger_aso_update, NULL);

    pthread_join(t1, NULL);
    pthread_join(t2, NULL);

    return 0;
}

References

[1] CVE.org https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23441
[2] NVD NIST https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23441
[3] CVE Details https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2026-23441/
[4] VulDB https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-23441
[5] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c6a5be0aee5a44066f68a332c30650900e32ad4
[6] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6834d196107d5267dcad31b44211da7698e8f618
[7] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99aaee927800ea00b441b607737f9f67b1899755
[8] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99b36850d881e2d65912b2520a1c80d0fcc9429a
[9] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3db55dc0f3344b62da25b025a8396d78763b5fa

Raw JSON Data

JSON

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-23441", "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "published": "2026-04-03T16:16:26.340", "lastModified": "2026-04-23T20:59:07.087", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet/mlx5e: Prevent concurrent access to IPSec ASO context\n\nThe query or updating IPSec offload object is through Access ASO WQE.\nThe driver uses a single mlx5e_ipsec_aso struct for each PF, which\ncontains a shared DMA-mapped context for all ASO operations.\n\nA race condition exists because the ASO spinlock is released before\nthe hardware has finished processing WQE. If a second operation is\ninitiated immediately after, it overwrites the shared context in the\nDMA area.\n\nWhen the first operation's completion is processed later, it reads\nthis corrupted context, leading to unexpected behavior and incorrect\nresults.\n\nThis commit fixes the race by introducing a private context within\neach IPSec offload object. The shared ASO context is now copied to\nthis private context while the ASO spinlock is held. Subsequent\nprocessing uses this saved, per-object context, ensuring its integrity\nis maintained."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "baseScore": 4.7, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "NONE", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.0, "impactScore": 3.6}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-362"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.2.1", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.130", "matchCriteriaId": "1904C76C-974E-4DEA-9E2B-C26F3C5420AD"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.7", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.78", "matchCriteriaId": "28D591F5-B196-4CC9-905C-DC80F116E7A8"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.13", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.20", "matchCriteriaId": "E5571059-6552-48E7-9BEF-3E358C387171"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.19", "versionEndExcluding": "6.19.10", "matchCriteriaId": "96D34333-38BE-4414-9E79-6EB764329581"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "3ADCCCEE-143A-4B48-9B2A-0CB97BD385DE"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "F253B622-8837-4245-BCE5-A7BF8FC76A16"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "4AE85AD8-4641-4E7C-A2F4-305E2CD9EE64"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "F666C8D8-6538-46D4-B318-87610DE64C34"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "02259FDA-961B-47BC-AE7F-93D7EC6E90C2"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "58A9FEFF-C040-420D-8F0A-BFDAAA1DF258"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "1D2315C0-D46F-4F85-9754-F9E5E11374A6"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "512EE3A8-A590-4501-9A94-5D4B268D6138"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c6a5be0aee5a44066f68a332c30650900e32ad4", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6834d196107d5267dcad31b44211da7698e8f618", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99aaee927800ea00b441b607737f9f67b1899755", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99b36850d881e2d65912b2520a1c80d0fcc9429a", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3db55dc0f3344b62da25b025a8396d78763b5fa", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}]}}