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

netfilter: nft_set_rbtree: validate open interval overlap

[ Upstream commit 648946966a08e4cb1a71619e3d1b12bd7642de7b ]

Open intervals do not have an end element, in particular an open
interval at the end of the set is hard to validate because of it is
lacking the end element, and interval validation relies on such end
element to perform the checks.

This patch adds a new flag field to struct nft_set_elem, this is not an
issue because this is a temporary object that is allocated in the stack
from the insert/deactivate path. This flag field is used to specify that
this is the last element in this add/delete command.

The last flag is used, in combination with the start element cookie, to
check if there is a partial overlap, eg.

Already exists: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.254
Add interval: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.255
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
start element overlap

Basically, the idea is to check for an existing end element in the set
if there is an overlap with an existing start element.

However, the last open interval can come in any position in the add
command, the corner case can get a bit more complicated:

Already exists: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.254
Add intervals: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.255,255.255.255.0-255.255.255.254
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
start element overlap

To catch this overlap, annotate that the new start element is a possible
overlap, then report the overlap if the next element is another start
element that confirms that previous element in an open interval at the
end of the set.

For deletions, do not update the start cookie when deleting an open
interval, otherwise this can trigger spurious EEXIST when adding new
elements.

Unfortunately, there is no NFT_SET_ELEM_INTERVAL_OPEN flag which would
make easier to detect open interval overlaps.

Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Linux Kernel Subscribe
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_set_rbtree: validate open interval overlap [ Upstream commit 648946966a08e4cb1a71619e3d1b12bd7642de7b ] Open intervals do not have an end element, in particular an open interval at the end of the set is hard to validate because of it is lacking the end element, and interval validation relies on such end element to perform the checks. This patch adds a new flag field to struct nft_set_elem, this is not an issue because this is a temporary object that is allocated in the stack from the insert/deactivate path. This flag field is used to specify that this is the last element in this add/delete command. The last flag is used, in combination with the start element cookie, to check if there is a partial overlap, eg. Already exists: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.254 Add interval: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.255 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ start element overlap Basically, the idea is to check for an existing end element in the set if there is an overlap with an existing start element. However, the last open interval can come in any position in the add command, the corner case can get a bit more complicated: Already exists: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.254 Add intervals: 255.255.255.0-255.255.255.255,255.255.255.0-255.255.255.254 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ start element overlap To catch this overlap, annotate that the new start element is a possible overlap, then report the overlap if the next element is another start element that confirms that previous element in an open interval at the end of the set. For deletions, do not update the start cookie when deleting an open interval, otherwise this can trigger spurious EEXIST when adding new elements. Unfortunately, there is no NFT_SET_ELEM_INTERVAL_OPEN flag which would make easier to detect open interval overlaps.
Title netfilter: nft_set_rbtree: validate open interval overlap
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-25T10:27:23.869Z

Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:37:45.997Z

Link: CVE-2026-23333

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-03-25T11:16:30.780

Modified: 2026-03-25T11:16:30.780

Link: CVE-2026-23333

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.