Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset Affecting kernel6.18-tools-devel package, versions <1:6.18.41-94.142.amzn2023


Severity

Recommended
high

Based on Amazon Linux security rating.

Threat Intelligence

EPSS
0.17% (7th percentile)

Do your applications use this vulnerable package?

In a few clicks we can analyze your entire application and see what components are vulnerable in your application, and suggest you quick fixes.

Test your applications
  • Snyk IDSNYK-AMZN2023-KERNEL618TOOLSDEVEL-19466676
  • published1 Sept 2026
  • disclosed15 Aug 2026

Introduced: 15 Aug 2026

NewCVE-2026-72250  (opens in a new tab)
CWE-823  (opens in a new tab)

How to fix?

Upgrade Amazon-Linux:2023 kernel6.18-tools-devel to version 1:6.18.41-94.142.amzn2023 or higher.
This issue was patched in ALAS2023-2026-2071.

NVD Description

Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream kernel6.18-tools-devel package and not the kernel6.18-tools-devel package as distributed by Amazon-Linux. See How to fix? for Amazon-Linux:2023 relevant fixed versions and status.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nf_conntrack_reasm: guard mac_header adjustment after IPv6 defrag

nf_ct_frag6_reasm() slides the packet head forward to drop the IPv6 fragment header and then unconditionally advances skb->mac_header:

skb-&gt;mac_header += sizeof(struct frag_hdr);

On the NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT defrag path the skb has no link-layer header yet, so skb->mac_header is still the "not set" sentinel (u16)~0U. Adding sizeof(struct frag_hdr) wraps it to a small value (0xffff + 8 == 7), after which skb_mac_header_was_set() wrongly reports a MAC header is present and skb_mac_header() points into the headroom.

The reassembler has done this unconditional add since it was introduced; it was harmless while mac_header was a bare pointer, but wrong once mac_header became a u16 offset whose unset state is the ~0U sentinel tested by skb_mac_header_was_set(). The sibling net/ipv6/reassembly.c does the same relocation and does guard the adjustment; mirror the guard here.

CVSS Base Scores

version 3.1