CVE-2026-74724

The Linux kernel contains an out‑of‑bounds write flaw in the IPVS NAT ICMP handling function. When specific ICMP packets are processed, the kernel may write beyond the intended memory region, corrupting arbitrary memory. This vulnerability can lead to local code execution or a denial‑of‑service. The weakness is a classic out‑of‑bounds write, identified by CWE‑120 and CWE‑787.

The flaw resides in the IPVS module of the Linux kernel. Any system running a kernel version that has not yet incorporated the patch, and that has IPVS enabled, is potentially affected. No explicit kernel version numbers are disclosed in the advisory, so all affected kernel releases that still contain the unpatched ip_vs_nat_icmp code should be considered vulnerable.

The CVSS score of 7.8 classifies the flaw as high severity, indicating that a successful exploit could have a serious impact on system integrity and availability. The EPSS score is below 1%, suggesting that exploitation is unlikely to be widespread or automated at present. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, but the low exploitation probability does not diminish the need for immediate mitigation. As described, a local attacker who can send ICMP packets that IPVS processes can abuse the out‑of‑bounds write in ip_vs_nat_icmp to corrupt memory, potentially enabling local code execution or a kernel crash, leading to denial of service. Because the attack surface is tied to the presence of IPVS and the ability to send crafted ICMP packets to the host, the risk is limited to hosts that run IPVS and accept such traffic, but the impact remains severe for affected systems.