1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-8279-2

USN-8279-2: Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities

Publication date

22 May 2026

Overview

Several security issues were fixed in the Linux kernel.

Releases

Packages

  • linux-gcp-5.15 - Linux kernel for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) systems

Details

It was discovered that the Linux kernel algif_aead module did not properly
handle in-place cryptographic operations. This flaw is known as Copy Fail.
A local attacker could use this to escalate privileges, or possibly escape
a container. (CVE-2026-31431)

Several security issues were discovered in the Linux kernel.
An attacker could possibly use these to compromise the system.
This update corrects flaws in the following subsystems:

  • Cryptographic API;
  • Ethernet bonding driver;
  • SMB network file system;
  • Netfilter;
  • io_uring subsystem;
  • Packet sockets;
  • TLS protocol

It was discovered that the Linux kernel algif_aead module did not properly
handle in-place cryptographic operations. This flaw is known as Copy Fail.
A local attacker could use this to escalate privileges, or possibly escape
a container. (CVE-2026-31431)

Several security issues were discovered in the Linux kernel.
An attacker could possibly use these to compromise the system.
This update corrects flaws in the following subsystems:

  • Cryptographic API;
  • Ethernet bonding driver;
  • SMB network file system;
  • Netfilter;
  • io_uring subsystem;
  • Packet sockets;
  • TLS protocol

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed. Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages (e.g. linux-generic, linux-generic-lts-RELEASE, linux-virtual, linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform this as well.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
20.04 LTS focal linux-image-5.15.0-1108-gcp –  5.15.0-1108.117~20.04.1  
linux-image-gcp –  5.15.0.1108.117~20.04.1  
linux-image-gcp-5.15 –  5.15.0.1108.117~20.04.1  

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References

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