CVE-2026-98229Public exploit

Kernel crash via XFRM state use-after-free

Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel XFRM receive processing allows attackers to crash the kernel during concurrent state deletion. In xfrm_input(), receive callbacks or the maximum-depth error path can reset the packet secpath before the function finishes reading its xfrm_state, leaving a freed state to be dereferenced. The demonstrated trigger requires a configured XFRM interface and concurrent state teardown; the published reproducer runs with root privileges, while unauthenticated network-only exploitation is not established.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.16%
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 Linux kernel XFRM receive processing allows attackers to crash the kernel during concurrent state deletion. In xfrm_input(), receive callbacks or the maximum-depth error path can reset the packet secpath before the function finishes reading its xfrm_state, leaving a freed state to be dereferenced. The demonstrated trigger requires a configured XFRM interface and concurrent state teardown; the published reproducer runs with root privileges, while unauthenticated network-only exploitation is not established.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98229
Published
Oct 6, 2026
Updated
Oct 6, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 6, 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=3.15
  2. Affected versionversion=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <148db154066b066616b82c12d373e786eba1f96a
  3. Affected versionversion=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <35de97850987b3d022ed17df5b2577242e746daf
  4. Affected versionversion=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <3cf5cdecd99c9c186a5ea518d93bbf3045b6e3aa
  5. Affected versionversion=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <537a5ae18b2be70f8eb0aca843682e81a69aab91

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.15; version=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <148db154066b066616b82c12d373e786eba1f96a; version=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <35de97850987b3d022ed17df5b2577242e746daf; version=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <3cf5cdecd99c9c186a5ea518d93bbf3045b6e3aa; version=df3893c176e9b0bb39b28ab5ec8113fa20ad1ee0 <537a5ae18b2be70f8eb0aca843682e81a69aab91

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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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Your stack

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