---
id: CVE-2026-80994
title: >-
  kernel: net: openvswitch: fix flow mask use-after-free on flow deletion
  (CVE-2026-80994)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Open vSwitch component of the Linux kernel. A local
  attacker could exploit a use-after-free vulnerability during flow deletion.
  This occurs due to a race condition where the flow mask is freed prematurely,
  allowing …
severity: high
cvss: 7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-825
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 6
  - enterprise_linux 7
  - enterprise_linux 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-09-11'
updated: '2026-09-14'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-14T20:16:10+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80994.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80994.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-80994'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2532084'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80994'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80994'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-80994.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea5f7b45b582665541ddfb77dce98611354af4ab'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/18ce1a8b7499c016d4a893d9b1db80608f73745d'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c15ef9a5bf594f93a31de2ec2ec394e2a903519a'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64051fe200c7c759af71634bd2123552eaabb69a'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ba5cbc2f049af94ec94ff6f64958545efc5eaa2'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac73e3af571da06c1d1cfe3f0f00dc978b851700'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f072b84afd05a77963eb1872f7174e280661dce'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4e30317ff67a2eb12b4d890d39f72fd7e7117d48'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00171
epssPercentile: 0.0571
scores:
  vendor: 7
  cna: 7.8
ingestedAt: '2026-09-14T15:23:07.454Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Open vSwitch component of the Linux kernel. A local attacker could exploit a use-after-free vulnerability during flow deletion. This occurs due to a race condition where the flow mask is freed prematurely, allowing subsequent operations to access deallocated memory. Successful exploitation of this flaw can lead to a system crash, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, … · updated 2026-09-14 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80994.json)

**kernel: net: openvswitch: fix flow mask use-after-free on flow deletion** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-09-11, updated 2026-09-14.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Out of support scope