CVE-2024-26921: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: inet: inet_defrag: prevent sk release while still in use ip_local

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: inet: inet_defrag: prevent sk release while still in use ip_local_out() and other function

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: inet: inet_defrag: prevent sk release while still in use ip_local_out() and other functions can pass skb->sk as function argument. If the skb is a fragment and reassembly happens before such function call returns, the sk must not be released. This affects skb fragments reassembled via netfilter or similar modules, e.g. openvswitch or ct_act.c, when run as part of tx pipeline. Eric Dumazet made an initial analysis of this bug. Quoting Eric: Calling ip_defrag() in output path is also implying skb_orphan(), which is buggy because output path relies on sk not disappearing. A relevant old patch about the issue was : 8282f27449bf ("inet: frag: Always orphan skbs inside ip_defrag()") [..] net/ipv4/ip_output.c depends on skb->sk being set, and probably to an inet socket, not an arbitrary one. If we orphan the packet in ipvlan, then downstream things like FQ packet scheduler will not work properly. We need to change ip_defrag() to only use skb_orphan() when really needed, ie whenever frag_list is going to be used. Eric suggested to stash sk in fragment queue and made an initial patch. Howev

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.40%, higher than 34% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored November 12, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

Website check: reads what your site runs from the outside (WordPress version, plugins it can see, old server software) and matches it against this database.
Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

Weekly security brief

The flaws that hit local websites, every Friday.

One short email: what got exploited this week, which WordPress plugins broke, and what to check. Unsubscribe in one click.