1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-8281-1

USN-8281-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Publication date

19 May 2026

Overview

Several security issues were fixed in the Linux kernel.

Releases

Packages

  • linux - Linux kernel
  • linux-aws - Linux kernel for Amazon Web Services (AWS) systems
  • linux-aws-fips - Linux kernel for Amazon Web Services (AWS) systems with FIPS
  • linux-fips - Linux kernel with FIPS
  • linux-gcp-4.15 - Linux kernel for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) systems
  • linux-gcp-fips - Linux kernel for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) systems with FIPS
  • linux-kvm - Linux kernel for cloud environments
  • linux-oracle - Linux kernel for Oracle Cloud 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;
  • Packet sockets

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;
  • Packet sockets

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
18.04 LTS bionic linux-image-4.15.0-1147-fips –  4.15.0-1147.159  
linux-image-4.15.0-1154-oracle –  4.15.0-1154.165  
linux-image-4.15.0-1174-kvm –  4.15.0-1174.179  
linux-image-4.15.0-1185-gcp –  4.15.0-1185.202  
linux-image-4.15.0-1192-aws –  4.15.0-1192.205  
linux-image-4.15.0-2093-gcp-fips –  4.15.0-2093.99  
linux-image-4.15.0-2130-aws-fips –  4.15.0-2130.136  
linux-image-4.15.0-250-generic –  4.15.0-250.262  
linux-image-4.15.0-250-lowlatency –  4.15.0-250.262  
linux-image-aws-4.15 –  4.15.0.1192.190  
linux-image-aws-fips –  4.15.0.2130.124  
linux-image-aws-fips-4.15 –  4.15.0.2130.124  
linux-image-aws-lts-18.04 –  4.15.0.1192.190  
linux-image-fips –  4.15.0.1147.144  
linux-image-gcp-4.15 –  4.15.0.1185.198  
linux-image-gcp-fips –  4.15.0.2093.91  
linux-image-gcp-fips-4.15 –  4.15.0.2093.91  
linux-image-gcp-lts-18.04 –  4.15.0.1185.198  
linux-image-generic –  4.15.0.250.234  
linux-image-kvm –  4.15.0.1174.165  
linux-image-lowlatency –  4.15.0.250.234  
linux-image-oracle-4.15 –  4.15.0.1154.159  
linux-image-oracle-lts-18.04 –  4.15.0.1154.159  
linux-image-virtual –  4.15.0.250.234  

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References

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