CVE-2026-98289Public exploit

Local socket resource leak via inconsistent SCC indices

Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026

Resource leak in Linux kernel AF_UNIX garbage collection allows local users to retain dead socket cycles through crafted SCM_RIGHTS graphs. In net/unix/garbage.c, __unix_walk_scc() leaves members of one strongly connected component with different scc_index values, so unix_vertex_dead() mistakes a dead cycle for a live one and skips collection. The trigger requires a local process to pass socket file descriptors into a cyclic graph; retained sockets consume resources, while the upstream report establishes no remote trigger or immediate crash.

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

Resource leak in Linux kernel AF_UNIX garbage collection allows local users to retain dead socket cycles through crafted SCM_RIGHTS graphs. In net/unix/garbage.c, __unix_walk_scc() leaves members of one strongly connected component with different scc_index values, so unix_vertex_dead() mistakes a dead cycle for a live one and skips collection. The trigger requires a local process to pass socket file descriptors into a cyclic graph; retained sockets consume resources, while the upstream report establishes no remote trigger or immediate crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98289
Published
Oct 6, 2026
Updated
Oct 6, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
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=4090fa373f0e763c43610853d2774b5979915959 <4a4263dfeabad72f95e8ab6e15146861fa4144dd
  2. Affected versionversion=4090fa373f0e763c43610853d2774b5979915959 <b8f71d69380a5fbc734c868acbeb560f1de1766f
  3. Affected versionversion=4090fa373f0e763c43610853d2774b5979915959 <be550ee108ad80828aa61280400bedfc7e7c39d3
  4. Affected versionversion=5dfd283f4651d04dbb70ceb9ae5c4a30eda3c52a
  5. Affected versionversion=6.10
  6. Affected versionversion=6.1.141 <6.2
  7. Affected versionversion=6.6.93 <6.7
  8. Affected versionversion=de7921631ff323369aa63a4324695ab54ea4047e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4090fa373f0e763c43610853d2774b5979915959 <4a4263dfeabad72f95e8ab6e15146861fa4144dd; version=4090fa373f0e763c43610853d2774b5979915959 <b8f71d69380a5fbc734c868acbeb560f1de1766f; version=4090fa373f0e763c43610853d2774b5979915959 <be550ee108ad80828aa61280400bedfc7e7c39d3; version=5dfd283f4651d04dbb70ceb9ae5c4a30eda3c52a; version=6.10; version=6.1.141 <6.2; version=6.6.93 <6.7; version=de7921631ff323369aa63a4324695ab54ea4047e

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
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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Your stack

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