RCU warnings via unprotected XFRM reinjection
Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026
RCU lifetime errors in Linux kernel XFRM transport reinjection allow attackers to trigger kernel warnings via deferred packets. The xfrm_trans_reinject workqueue invokes finish callbacks without an RCU read lock, while xfrm_trans_queue_net can queue packets without retaining route-destination and device references. The path requires XFRM transport-mode reinjection; the upstream patch documents warnings and unsafe lifetime handling, not a demonstrated crash or code execution.
Summary
What happened
RCU lifetime errors in Linux kernel XFRM transport reinjection allow attackers to trigger kernel warnings via deferred packets. The xfrm_trans_reinject workqueue invokes finish callbacks without an RCU read lock, while xfrm_trans_queue_net can queue packets without retaining route-destination and device references. The path requires XFRM transport-mode reinjection; the upstream patch documents warnings and unsafe lifetime handling, not a demonstrated crash or code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98369
- Published
- Oct 6, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 6, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=130d9e5017ade1b81d16783563edb38c12a2eab7
- Affected versionversion=4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 <0cda8273265d30cac6423834fd7d4acb75f04fdb
- Affected versionversion=4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 <6601d91a85761f33351c71e04ec0bbd294ca07ce
- Affected versionversion=4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 <664fc0941df7c1918b2cd4de6ee00469ba77d8e4
- Affected versionversion=4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 <68a317b4aec8ca1868a39d69e40f9e29baa4f40a
- Affected versionversion=4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 <6eb3b071be8e260543c604550c54dac66e6b174b
- Affected versionversion=4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 <d2f5082f9e84653fa1a9e8aebaaff23e688f5e19
- Affected versionversion=5.15.75 <5.15.222
- Affected versionversion=5.19.17 <5.20
- Affected versionversion=6.0.3 <6.1
- Affected versionversion=6.1
- Affected versionversion=7d98b26684cb2390729525b341ea099f0badbe18 <41e47f1664be86c91326f0afe0504a1162d00907
- Affected versionversion=f520075da484306bbb8425afd2c42404ba74816f
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
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started