CVE-2026-98286

Kernel panic via rearmed drop-monitor timer

Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026

A teardown race in Linux drop_monitor allows context-dependent attackers to crash the kernel when a timer runs after module unload. The net_dm_trace_off_set() and net_dm_hw_monitor_stop() paths delete per-CPU timers before canceling alert work, allowing a concurrent worker to rearm a timer after an allocation failure. The race requires active drop monitoring, concurrent teardown, and memory pressure; the public patch does not establish an unprivileged or remote trigger.

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

A teardown race in Linux drop_monitor allows context-dependent attackers to crash the kernel when a timer runs after module unload. The net_dm_trace_off_set() and net_dm_hw_monitor_stop() paths delete per-CPU timers before canceling alert work, allowing a concurrent worker to rearm a timer after an allocation failure. The race requires active drop monitoring, concurrent teardown, and memory pressure; the public patch does not establish an unprivileged or remote trigger.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98286
Published
Oct 6, 2026
Updated
Oct 6, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

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=2514c7ad115e762562c7bdd58bb1ab3425a98245
  2. Affected versionversion=439b1164da3612ec7e186e1dc314471e7190bfc7
  3. Affected versionversion=5.10.27 <5.11
  4. Affected versionversion=5.11.11 <5.12
  5. Affected versionversion=5.12
  6. Affected versionversion=9398e9c0b1d44eeb700e9e766c02bcc765c82570 <9616b0c67fbd8cc0b49de7b26cdf2ab33747c80e
  7. Affected versionversion=9398e9c0b1d44eeb700e9e766c02bcc765c82570 <bda4d9525fb91a2388ee09669421b8d505290864
  8. Affected versionversion=9398e9c0b1d44eeb700e9e766c02bcc765c82570 <c391a40f71886b28c082b47270f0e856fa3e1150

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2514c7ad115e762562c7bdd58bb1ab3425a98245; version=439b1164da3612ec7e186e1dc314471e7190bfc7; version=5.10.27 <5.11; version=5.11.11 <5.12; version=5.12; version=9398e9c0b1d44eeb700e9e766c02bcc765c82570 <9616b0c67fbd8cc0b49de7b26cdf2ab33747c80e; version=9398e9c0b1d44eeb700e9e766c02bcc765c82570 <bda4d9525fb91a2388ee09669421b8d505290864; version=9398e9c0b1d44eeb700e9e766c02bcc765c82570 <c391a40f71886b28c082b47270f0e856fa3e1150

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

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