Kernel crash via unbounded BPF pointer offset
Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026
NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows local users to crash the kernel by loading a crafted BPF program. The reg_not_null() path treats a pointer type as proof of a non-NULL value even when an unbounded runtime offset can reduce its non-NULL base to zero. Exploitation requires permission to load BPF programs, and dereferencing the verifier-approved zero pointer interrupts the host by faulting the kernel.
Summary
What happened
NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows local users to crash the kernel by loading a crafted BPF program. The reg_not_null() path treats a pointer type as proof of a non-NULL value even when an unbounded runtime offset can reduce its non-NULL base to zero. Exploitation requires permission to load BPF programs, and dereferencing the verifier-approved zero pointer interrupts the host by faulting the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98043
- Published
- Sep 25, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=5.8
- Affected versionversion=cac616db39c207dc63465a4e05c6ce0e60b2cce4 <67b529f521a6676cdfc78b91b0217d7eaa84216b
- Affected versionversion=cac616db39c207dc63465a4e05c6ce0e60b2cce4 <cb6642048739bf4ee5aa09fe465511f1e87caa63
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- BPF unbounded-offset verifier self-testproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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