CVE-2026-72348: netfilter: ip6tables: mark malformed IPv6 extension headers for hotdrop

Is it exploited?

Not on CISA's list. CISA has not added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as of 28 Oct 2026. If CISA adds it, this page shows it as known exploited.

How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?

0.6%

EPSS score, percentile 49.9 of all scored records. A probability estimated by FIRST, not a report of exploitation.

How severe?

9.1 Critical

CVSS v3.1 base score, given by the CNA

What should I do?

CISA has set no required action, because the vulnerability is not in KEV.

The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.

Which versions are affected?

Affected

• 2.6.12

Unaffected before 2.6.12; 5.10.261; 5.15.212; 6.1.178; 6.6.145; 6.12.97; and 3 more

Versions by product

Source: CISA KEV 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST EPSS, as of 29 Oct 2026; CVE List, as of 29 Oct 2026. About the data.

What to do

Advisories and patches

The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.

This summary is based on the CVE record as of 29 Oct 2026. Check the vendor's advisory before you act: affected versions and fixes can change.

Affected products and versions

As listed in the CVE record.

Versions not listed are: unaffected.

Versions not listed are: affected.

Versions the record lists as unaffected: 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2.

Source: CVE List, as of 29 Oct 2026. About the data.

About this vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ip6tables: mark malformed IPv6 extension headers for hotdrop The ah, hbh and rt matches check that the fixed extension header is present, then use the header length field to derive the advertised extension header length for matching. For the ah match, add the missing advertised-length check. For hbh and rt, update t…

Summary: CVE record, as of 29 Oct 2026.

• CISA has not added CVE-2026-72348 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, as of 28 Oct 2026.
• The CVE record was published on 15 Aug 2026.
• The CVE record carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical), given by its CNA.
• FIRST's EPSS model puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.6% (percentile 49.9), as of 29 Oct 2026. EPSS is a statistical estimate, not a report of exploitation.
• CISA's SSVC assessment in the CVE record: exploitation none, automatable yes, technical impact total.

Source: CISA KEV 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List, as of 29 Oct 2026; FIRST EPSS, as of 29 Oct 2026. About the data.

Description

netfilter: ip6tables: mark malformed IPv6 extension headers for hotdrop

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ip6tables: mark malformed IPv6 extension headers for hotdrop The ah, hbh and rt matches check that the fixed extension header is present, then use the header length field to derive the advertised extension header length for matching. For the ah match, add the missing advertised-length check. For hbh and rt, update the existing advertised-length checks. In all three cases, set hotdrop to true before returning false when the advertised extension header length exceeds the available skb data. Returning false treats the packet as a rule mismatch. Set hotdrop to true and drop malformed packets so they cannot bypass rules intended to drop packets with these IPv6 extension headers.

Source: CVE List, as of 29 Oct 2026. About the data.

Timeline

Known exploited Linux vulnerabilities

• CVE-2026-46300: Linux Kernel Missing Initialization of a Variable Vulnerability (added 28 Oct 2026)
• CVE-2025-39682: Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions Vulnerability (added 18 Sep 2026)
• CVE-2025-39964: Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability (added 18 Sep 2026)
• CVE-2026-53266: Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability (added 18 Sep 2026)
• CVE-2026-53362: Linux Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability (added 27 Aug 2026)