CVE-2026-22981
5.5 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2026-22981 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting linux linux_kernel. It was published on January 23, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
idpf: detach and close netdevs while handling a reset
Protect the reset path from callbacks by setting the netdevs to detached
state and close any netdevs in UP state until the reset handling has
completed. During a reset, the driver will de-allocate resources for the
vport, and there is no guarantee that those will recover, which is why the
existing vport_ctrl_lock does not provide sufficient protection.
idpf_detach_and_close() is called right before reset handling. If the
reset handling succeeds, the netdevs state is recovered via call to
idpf_attach_and_open(). If the reset handling fails the netdevs remain
down. The detach/down calls are protected with RTNL lock to avoid racing
with callbacks. On the recovery side the attach can be done without
holding the RTNL lock as there are no callbacks expected at that point,
due to detach/close always being done first in that flow.
The previous logic restoring the netdev
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from linux. Update linux_kernel to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | >= 6.7, < 6.18.6 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-22981?
CVE-2026-22981 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting linux linux_kernel. It was published on January 23, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2026-22981?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-22981?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from linux. Update linux_kernel to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-22981?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-22981 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
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