Use After Free Affecting linux-qemu-melange package, versions <6.18.38-r0
Threat Intelligence
The probability is the direct output of the EPSS model, and conveys an overall sense of the threat of exploitation in the wild. The percentile measures the EPSS probability relative to all known EPSS scores. Note: This data is updated daily, relying on the latest available EPSS model version. Check out the EPSS documentation for more details.
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Test your applications- Snyk IDSNYK-CHAINGUARDLATEST-LINUXQEMUMELANGE-17949788
- published11 Jul 2026
- disclosed25 Jun 2026
Introduced: 25 Jun 2026
CVE-2026-53240 (opens in a new tab)How to fix?
Upgrade Chainguard linux-qemu-melange to version 6.18.38-r0 or higher.
NVD Description
Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream linux-qemu-melange package and not the linux-qemu-melange package as distributed by Chainguard.
See How to fix? for Chainguard relevant fixed versions and status.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
xfrm: iptfs: fix use-after-free on first_skb in __input_process_payload
__input_process_payload() stores first_skb into xtfs->ra_newskb under drop_lock when starting partial reassembly, then unlocks and breaks out of the processing loop. The post-loop check reads xtfs->ra_newskb without the lock to decide whether first_skb is still owned:
if (first_skb && first_iplen && !defer && first_skb != xtfs->ra_newskb)
Between spin_unlock and this read, a concurrent CPU running iptfs_reassem_cont() (or the drop_timer hrtimer) can complete reassembly, NULL xtfs->ra_newskb, and free the skb. The check then evaluates first_skb != NULL as true, and pskb_trim/ip_summed/consume_skb operate on the freed skb — a use-after-free in skbuff_head_cache.
Replace the unlocked read with a local bool that records whether first_skb was handed to the reassembly state in the current call. The flag is set after the existing spin_unlock, before the break, using the pointer equality that is stable at that point (first_skb == skb iff first_skb was stored in ra_newskb).