CVE-2026-63920
ipv6: validate extension header length before copying to cmsg
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: validate extension header length before copying to cmsg ip6_datagram_recv_specific_ctl() builds IPV6_{HOPOPTS,DSTOPTS,RTHDR} cmsgs (and their IPV6_2292* legacy counterparts) by trusting the on-wire hdrlen byte (ptr[1]) when computing the put_cmsg() length. The length was validated only at parse time (ipv6_parse_hopopts(), etc.). An nftables payload-write expression can rewrite hdrlen after parsing and before the skb reaches recvmsg; the write itself is in-bounds but put_cmsg() then reads up to ((hdrlen+1) << 3) = 2040 bytes from an 8-byte header. nftables is reachable from an unprivileged user namespace, so this is an unprivileged slab-out-of-bounds read: BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in put_cmsg+0x3ac/0x540 put_cmsg+0x3ac/0x540 udpv6_recvmsg+0xca0/0x1250 sock_recvmsg+0xdf/0x190 ____sys_recvmsg+0x1b1/0x620 Add ipv6_get_exthdr_len() which validates that at least two bytes are accessible before reading the hdrlen field, then checks the computed length against skb_tail_pointer(skb), returning 0 on failure. Extension headers are kept in the linear skb area by pskb_may_pull() during input, so skb_tail_pointer() is the correct bound. Use ipv6_get_exthdr_len() at all non-AH call sites: the five standalone cmsg blocks (HbH, 2292HbH, 2292DSTOPTS x2, 2292RTHDR) and the three standard cases in the extension-header walk loop (DSTOPTS, ROUTING, default). AH retains an inline bounds check because its length formula differs ((ptr[1]+2)<<2). The walk loop also gets a pre-read bounds check at the top to validate ptr before any case accesses ptr[0] or ptr[1]. When the walk loop detects a corrupted header, return from the function instead of continuing to process later socket options.
INFO
Published Date :
July 19, 2026, 4:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
July 27, 2026, 5:44 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 |
Solution
- Add ipv6_get_exthdr_len() to validate header length.
- Use validation function at all non-AH call sites.
- Add pre-read bounds check for extension header walk.
- Return on corrupted header detection.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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CVE-2026-63920.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
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weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-63920 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
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stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-63920
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
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CVE-2026-63920 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
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CVE-2026-63920 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Modified by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Jul. 20, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H -
New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Jul. 19, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': '81394827dfb72772c50d0ae3bdfa094428a5d76d', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': '931b4a1f13408c2507719890f78f7227c34a0282', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': '08464413e628803bd10cb1df68d0138665f2f885', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': 'a29768d56eb3798c052ad3281b05596e695a17af', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': '0d330eff318c0f44d4fb0ad2c2aef38f87f24c90', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': 'a35daeabb433686234b010ebf7b53778dbd6c9b8', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': 'eb18a1b1644e4cad978df2131e2bb9a2e6886992', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2', 'lessThan': 'dd433671fef381fdaf7b530c631e6b782d66e224', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['net/ipv6/datagram.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '2.6.12'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '2.6.12', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.10.259', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.10.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '5.15.210', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '5.15.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.1.176', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.143', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.93', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.35', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.0.12', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.0.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['net/ipv6/datagram.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: validate extension header length before copying to cmsg ip6_datagram_recv_specific_ctl() builds IPV6_{HOPOPTS,DSTOPTS,RTHDR} cmsgs (and their IPV6_2292* legacy counterparts) by trusting the on-wire hdrlen byte (ptr[1]) when computing the put_cmsg() length. The length was validated only at parse time (ipv6_parse_hopopts(), etc.). An nftables payload-write expression can rewrite hdrlen after parsing and before the skb reaches recvmsg; the write itself is in-bounds but put_cmsg() then reads up to ((hdrlen+1) << 3) = 2040 bytes from an 8-byte header. nftables is reachable from an unprivileged user namespace, so this is an unprivileged slab-out-of-bounds read: BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in put_cmsg+0x3ac/0x540 put_cmsg+0x3ac/0x540 udpv6_recvmsg+0xca0/0x1250 sock_recvmsg+0xdf/0x190 ____sys_recvmsg+0x1b1/0x620 Add ipv6_get_exthdr_len() which validates that at least two bytes are accessible before reading the hdrlen field, then checks the computed length against skb_tail_pointer(skb), returning 0 on failure. Extension headers are kept in the linear skb area by pskb_may_pull() during input, so skb_tail_pointer() is the correct bound. Use ipv6_get_exthdr_len() at all non-AH call sites: the five standalone cmsg blocks (HbH, 2292HbH, 2292DSTOPTS x2, 2292RTHDR) and the three standard cases in the extension-header walk loop (DSTOPTS, ROUTING, default). AH retains an inline bounds check because its length formula differs ((ptr[1]+2)<<2). The walk loop also gets a pre-read bounds check at the top to validate ptr before any case accesses ptr[0] or ptr[1]. When the walk loop detects a corrupted header, return from the function instead of continuing to process later socket options. Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/08464413e628803bd10cb1df68d0138665f2f885 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d330eff318c0f44d4fb0ad2c2aef38f87f24c90 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81394827dfb72772c50d0ae3bdfa094428a5d76d Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/931b4a1f13408c2507719890f78f7227c34a0282 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a29768d56eb3798c052ad3281b05596e695a17af Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a35daeabb433686234b010ebf7b53778dbd6c9b8 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dd433671fef381fdaf7b530c631e6b782d66e224 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb18a1b1644e4cad978df2131e2bb9a2e6886992