Initiator kernel fault via unchecked remote invalidation
Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026
A NULL-pointer dereference in affected Linux kernels since 4.5 allows remote attackers controlling an iSCSI target to fault an iSER initiator. The iser_check_remote_inv() function trusts a mapped direction and passes its NULL registration descriptor to iser_inv_desc(), which reads desc->sig_protected. The target must send IB_WR_SEND_WITH_INV in response to an immediate-data write; the demonstrated consequence is an initiator kernel fault, not an established full-system panic.
Summary
What happened
A NULL-pointer dereference in affected Linux kernels since 4.5 allows remote attackers controlling an iSCSI target to fault an iSER initiator. The iser_check_remote_inv() function trusts a mapped direction and passes its NULL registration descriptor to iser_inv_desc(), which reads desc->sig_protected. The target must send IB_WR_SEND_WITH_INV in response to an immediate-data write; the demonstrated consequence is an initiator kernel fault, not an established full-system panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98358
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 6, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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?
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- Affected versionversion=4.5
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <198e4db9add54a50cce60a5d80b8f0ee5456b65a
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <19ddd4af7fce9200e70882f622011e9dd130f427
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <6ed3ebaff3345837f0528d85bd39ce573c7b9a41
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <9d145a2d8d6f8f2cc460b80df41870819048f2a0
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <b4d278c91209931199db9c0836dc2e21a7593dad
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <b9e37452915feaa8422af87dea5d0c16a7d1ff13
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <ceecf3f9c322fc6937a66682942a26ad13a34a07
- Affected versionversion=59caaed7a72a0e3750dfb84636dae6b781559310 <d85f0f0a7c85756fc992c70d869706f19dac9259
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
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