// #cve-2026-23231

Linux Kernel nf_tables Use-After-Free CVE-2026-23231 Enables Privilege Escalation on Most Distributions

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's nf_tables netfilter subsystem allows a local attacker to escalate privileges to root on unpatched systems. CVE-2026-23231 affects kernels 5.14 through 6.9 and most major distributions including RHEL 9, Ubuntu 22.04/24.04, Debian 12, and SLES 15. Stable kernel patches are available and distribution security teams are issuing advisories.