CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-23451NVD status: Modified

Linux: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-23451 is a high-severity loop with unreachable exit condition vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 9532d0d0ad1d726c06f807e8f0f1ec93cbabb452, 946bb6cacf0ccada7bc80f1cfa07c1ed79511c1c, 4172a7901cf43fe1cc63ef7a2ef33735ff7b7d13 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.46% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 9532d0d0ad1d726c06f807e8f0f1ec93cbabb452 or 946bb6cacf0ccada7bc80f1cfa07c1ed79511c1c or 4172a7901cf43fe1cc63ef7a2ef33735ff7b7d13 or 9b49c854f14f5e2d493e562a1e28d2e57fe37371, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux5d0fb9806ab6cf2c3cfba0e1b8c701da65e25af8 up to, but not including, 9532d0d0ad1d726c06f807e8f0f1ec93cbabb452; 9baf26a91565b7bb2b1d9f99aaf884a2b28c2f6d up to, but not including, 946bb6cacf0ccada7bc80f1cfa07c1ed79511c1c; 6ac890f1d60ac3707ee8dae15a67d9a833e49956 up to, but not including, 4172a7901cf43fe1cc63ef7a2ef33735ff7b7d13; 95597d11dc8bddb2b9a051c9232000bfbb5e43ba up to, but not including, 9b49c854f14f5e2d493e562a1e28d2e57fe37371; 950803f7254721c1c15858fbbfae3deaaeeecb11 up to, but not including, b7405dcf7385445e10821777143f18c3ce20fa04; b1f22a658a7b20bcb7d34d40cb2ef3e52847e2fb; 6.1.191 up to, but not including, 6.2; 6.18.19 up to, but not including, 6.18.20; and 1 more ranges9532d0d0ad1d726c06f807e8f0f1ec93cbabb452, 946bb6cacf0ccada7bc80f1cfa07c1ed79511c1c, 4172a7901cf43fe1cc63ef7a2ef33735ff7b7d13, 9b49c854f14f5e2d493e562a1e28d2e57fe37371, b7405dcf7385445e10821777143f18c3ce20fa04, 6.2
LinuxLinux Kernel6.12.78; 6.18.19; 6.19.9; 7.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bonding: prevent potential infinite loop in bond_header_parse() bond_header_parse() can loop if a stack of two bonding devices is setup, because skb->dev always points to the hierarchy top. Add new "const struct net_device *dev" parameter to (struct header_ops)->parse() method to make sure the recursion is bounded, and that the final leaf parse method is called.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition

The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop.

More Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition vulnerabilities (CWE-835)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition vulnerabilities

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