CVE-2026-98014Public exploit

Kernel crash via stale flow-rule pointers

Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux mlx5 E-Switch driver allows local users to crash the kernel during firmware-fatal recovery. During mlx5_esw_vport_disable(), a failed promiscuous-mode query leaves allmulti_rule set, causing mc_list to be repopulated with FDB rules that become dangling pointers when the table is destroyed. Reachability requires mlx5 E-Switch hardware, firmware-fatal recovery, and a privileged PCI reset; the resulting refcount underflow and page fault interrupt the host.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux mlx5 E-Switch driver allows local users to crash the kernel during firmware-fatal recovery. During mlx5_esw_vport_disable(), a failed promiscuous-mode query leaves allmulti_rule set, causing mc_list to be repopulated with FDB rules that become dangling pointers when the table is destroyed. Reachability requires mlx5 E-Switch hardware, firmware-fatal recovery, and a privileged PCI reset; the resulting refcount underflow and page fault interrupt the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98014
Published
Sep 25, 2026
Updated
Sep 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=18cead61e437f4c7898acca0a5f3df12f801d97f
  2. Affected versionversion=4df1f2d36bdc9a368650bf14b9097c555e95f71d
  3. Affected versionversion=5.10.177 <5.11
  4. Affected versionversion=5.15.105 <5.16
  5. Affected versionversion=6.1.22 <6.2
  6. Affected versionversion=6.2.9 <6.3
  7. Affected versionversion=6.3
  8. Affected versionversion=63546395a0e6ac264f78f65218086ce6014b4494
  9. Affected versionversion=6f5780536181d1d0d09a11a1bc92f22e143447e2
  10. Affected versionversion=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <668e050429c7ca688cf4e7112f97f0cd269d446b
  11. Affected versionversion=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <69904608e25e8ba58111aadd9210892cf3876201
  12. Affected versionversion=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <72cfcb79026cffb6490f5044153a841d360b0cfc
  13. Affected versionversion=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <c0c6f4ba8a37688f7b4d4044898d88f0450d44c2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=18cead61e437f4c7898acca0a5f3df12f801d97f; version=4df1f2d36bdc9a368650bf14b9097c555e95f71d; version=5.10.177 <5.11; version=5.15.105 <5.16; version=6.1.22 <6.2; version=6.2.9 <6.3; version=6.3; version=63546395a0e6ac264f78f65218086ce6014b4494; version=6f5780536181d1d0d09a11a1bc92f22e143447e2; version=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <668e050429c7ca688cf4e7112f97f0cd269d446b; version=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <69904608e25e8ba58111aadd9210892cf3876201; version=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <72cfcb79026cffb6490f5044153a841d360b0cfc; version=922f56e9a795d6f3dd72d3428ebdd7ee040fa855 <c0c6f4ba8a37688f7b4d4044898d88f0450d44c2

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

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No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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