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Known exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

CVE-2026-53266: Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability

Linux Kernel contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the ebtables SNAT target which allows an ARP sender hardware address rewrite to write directly into a nonlinear socket-buffer fragment backed by a splice-imported file page. The impacted product(s) could be end-of-life (EoL) and/or end-of-service (EoS). Users are advised to discontinue use and/or transition to a supported version.

CVE-2026-53266

Exploited in the wild. Fix this first.

CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-09-18: attackers are using it right now.

CISA KEV
Listed
Added 2026-09-18 · federal fix-by 2026-09-21
EPSS (30 days)
0.9%
Higher than 61% of CVEs · 2026-11-01
CVSS v3.1
8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

What CISA says

Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability

Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

NVD description · published 2026-06-25

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable The ebtables SNAT target keeps the Ethernet source address rewrite behind skb_ensure_writable(skb, 0). This is intentional: at the bridge ebtables hooks the Ethernet header is addressed through skb_mac_header()/eth_hdr(), while skb->data points at the Ethernet payload. Asking skb_ensure_writable() for ETH_HLEN bytes would check the payload, not the Ethernet header, and would reintroduce the small packet regression fixed by commit 63137bc5882a. However, the optional ARP sender hardware address rewrite is different. It writes through skb_store_bits() at an offset relative to skb->data: skb_store_bits(skb, sizeof(struct arphdr), info->mac, ETH_ALEN) skb_header_pointer() only safely reads the ARP header; it does not make the later sender hardware address range writable. If that range is still held in a nonlinear skb fragment backed by a splice-imported file page, skb_store_bits() maps the frag page and copies the new MAC address directly into it. Ensure the ARP SHA range is writable before reading the ARP header and before calling skb_store_bits().

Full record on NVD

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How to check if you are exposed to CVE-2026-53266

  1. Find every Linux Kernel system you or your clients run, including ones exposed to the internet. Those come first: CISA only lists flaws attackers are already using.
  2. Compare each version with the fixed versions in the vendor advisory below. Where no fix exists yet, apply the vendor’s mitigation or take the system off the internet.
  3. Run a credentialed vulnerability scan to catch the systems you missed, then check that the next scan no longer reports CVE-2026-53266.

US federal agencies had to fix this by 2026-09-21. Everyone else should treat that deadline as a guide: if it has passed, this is overdue.

Affected versions

Versions the National Vulnerability Database lists as vulnerable to CVE-2026-53266. Check the vendor advisory for the exact fixed builds before you sign anything off.

ProductVulnerable versions
Linux Kernelfrom 5.4.73 before 5.5; from 5.8.17 before 5.9; from 5.9.2 before 5.10.259; from 5.11 before 5.15.210; from 5.16 before 6.1.176; from 6.2 before 6.6.143 and 9 more

Timeline

  1. · Published in the National Vulnerability Database
  2. · Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, 85 days after it was published
  3. · Fix-by date for US federal agencies, passed 41 days ago

Vendor advisories and fixes

Weakness type

More exploited Linux vulnerabilities

CISA lists 32 exploited Linux vulnerabilities. The closest matches:

Keep going

Sources: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (version 2026.10.30); EPSS data from FIRST.org; CVSS and descriptions from the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Checked 2026-11-01. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

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