CVE-2026-23143 Linux CVE debrief

Who should care

Linux kernel maintainers, users, and administrators should assess exposure and verify if their systems are using affected kernel versions. The misalignment bug in the Linux kernel's struct virtnet_info causes the RSS key passed to the device to be shifted by one byte, potentially leading to unintended behavior. Linux kernel maintainers and users should review Linux kernel versions and assess exposure, verify if systems are using affected kernel versions,

Why it matters

A misalignment bug in the Linux kernel's struct virtnet_info causes the RSS key passed to the device to be shifted by one byte, potentially leading to unintended behavior. Linux kernel maintainers and users should assess exposure and verify if their systems are using affected kernel versions.

• Verify if Linux kernel versions are affected and require patching
• Assess exposure and potential unintended behavior due to the misalignment bug

Technical summary

The Linux kernel's struct virtnet_info has a misalignment bug that causes the RSS key passed to the device to be shifted by one byte. This issue is resolved by using the new TRAILING_OVERLAP() helper to fix the misalignment. The bug was found in the Linux kernel and has been resolved by the Linux kernel maintainers. The CVE record and NVD entry provide details about the vulnerability, including its description, CVSS score, and affected kernel versions. Linux kernel maintainers and users should assess exposure and verify if their systems are using affected kernel versions.

Defensive priority

Linux kernel maintainers and users should assess exposure and verify if their systems are using affected kernel versions.

Recommended defensive actions

• Review Linux kernel versions and assess exposure
• Verify if systems are using affected kernel versions
• Apply patches or updates provided by the Linux kernel maintainers
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.
• Plan vendor-supported updates or mitigations through normal change control where exposure is confirmed.
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified.
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details about the vulnerability, including its description, CVSS score, and affected kernel versions. The misalignment bug in the Linux kernel's struct virtnet_info causes the RSS key passed to the device to be shifted by one byte, potentially leading to unintended behavior. Linux kernel maintainers and users should assess exposure and verify if their systems are using affected kernel versions. The bug was resolved by using the new TRAILING_OVERLAP() helper to fix the misalignment.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.