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Actively exploited

CVE-2026-31431 Linux Kernel Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres Vulnerability

Linux Kernel contains an incorrect resource transfer between spheres vulnerability that could allow for privilege escalation.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch urgentlyCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 1 May 2026.
  • Rated High severity (CVSS 7.8, scored by Vendor).
  • It has been in the catalogue for 189 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-place This mostly reverts commit 72548b093ee3 except for the copying of the associated data. There is no benefit in operating in-place in algif_aead since the source and destination come from different mappings. Get rid of all the complexity added for in-place operation and just copy the AD directly.

Affected Versions

ProductVersions
Linux Linux72548b093ee38a6d4f2a19e6ef1948ae05c181f7 to before 893d22e0135fa394db81df88697fba6032747667
72548b093ee38a6d4f2a19e6ef1948ae05c181f7 to before 19d43105a97be0810edbda875f2cd03f30dc130c
72548b093ee38a6d4f2a19e6ef1948ae05c181f7 to before 961cfa271a918ad4ae452420e7c303149002875b
72548b093ee38a6d4f2a19e6ef1948ae05c181f7 to before 3115af9644c342b356f3f07a4dd1c8905cd9a6fc
72548b093ee38a6d4f2a19e6ef1948ae05c181f7 to before 8b88d99341f139e23bdeb1027a2a3ae10d341d82
72548b093ee38a6d4f2a19e6ef1948ae05c181f7 to before fafe0fa2995a0f7073c1c358d7d3145bcc9aedd8
Linux Linux4.14

From the public CVE record, as supplied by the vendor. Always confirm against the vendor advisory.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for Linux Kernel. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    "Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated high, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 15 May 2026 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

More Exploited Linux Flaws

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All 32 exploited Linux vulnerabilities

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Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2026-31431
  3. CVE record: CVE-2026-31431
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2026042214-CVE-2026-31431-3d65@gregkh/
  6. xint.io/blog/copy-fail-linux-distributions#the-fix-6
  7. git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/about/
  8. git.kernel.org/stable/c/893d22e0135fa394db81df88697fba6032747667
  9. git.kernel.org/stable/c/19d43105a97be0810edbda875f2cd03f30dc130c
  10. git.kernel.org/stable/c/961cfa271a918ad4ae452420e7c303149002875b
  11. git.kernel.org/stable/c/3115af9644c342b356f3f07a4dd1c8905cd9a6fc
  12. git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b88d99341f139e23bdeb1027a2a3ae10d341d82