CVE-2026-74612
CVE-2026-74612 is a security vulnerability in Kernel. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2026-74612 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment
Real-World Exposure
KernelReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Linux packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment
veth exposes non-linear skb fragments through an xdp_buff. If an XDP program adjusts the fragment area, veth_xdp_rcv_skb() copies xdp_frags_size back to skb->data_len but leaves skb->len containing the old fragment contribution.
After a fragment shrink, this makes skb_headlen() larger than the actual linear area. In the reproduced UDP receive path, __skb_datagram_iter() copied 1024 bytes past the actual linear tail to userspace, starting at struct skb_shared_info. The copied bytes included the affected skb's nr_frags, xdp_frags_size, and a kernel pointer from skb_shinfo(skb)->frags[0]. Real packet data was displaced by the same amount and truncated at the end.
Subtract the old data_len before replacing it and add the new data_len afterwards, keeping skb->len and skb->data_len synchronized.
Additionally, bpf_xdp_pull_data() can advance data_end while leaving frags present. The skb is then still non-linear, so the old __skb_put(skb, off) triggers SKB_LINEAR_ASSERT().
Use skb_set_tail_pointer() and update skb->len explicitly instead, following bpf_prog_run_generic_xdp(). Unlike __skb_put(), skb_set_tail_pointer() does not require a linear skb.
A 60000-byte UDP datagram on a veth pair with MTU 64000 was shortened by 1024 bytes from its fragment area. Before the fix, all 10 runs produced corrupted payloads. After the fix, all 10 runs matched the expected payload exactly. A forced-tailroom reproducer also exercises bpf_xdp_pull_data() with frags still present; the old code triggers SKB_LINEAR_ASSERT(), while this fix passes 10/10 runs.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐧Linux | Kernel | ≥ 5.18.0&&< 6.1.184 | 6.1.184 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for Kernel. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update Kernel to 6.1.184 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-74612 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2026-74612 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2026-74612. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-74612 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2026-74612 across Linux dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.