CVE-2026-98375

Guest-kernel crash via unchecked receive-slot header length

Published Oct 9, 2026 · Updated Oct 9, 2026

Short-header handling in Linux xen/netfront allows attackers to crash a guest kernel via backend-controlled receive-slot lengths. The handle_incoming_queue() function calls eth_type_trans() without ensuring that the packet head contains ETH_HLEN bytes and ignores the preceding pull operation's result. Exploitation requires control over the Xen network backend's receive-slot layout; fragmented packets trigger a kernel BUG, while packets shorter than an Ethernet header cause an out-of-bounds read without demonstrated data disclosure.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Short-header handling in Linux xen/netfront allows attackers to crash a guest kernel via backend-controlled receive-slot lengths. The handle_incoming_queue() function calls eth_type_trans() without ensuring that the packet head contains ETH_HLEN bytes and ignores the preceding pull operation's result. Exploitation requires control over the Xen network backend's receive-slot layout; fragmented packets trigger a kernel BUG, while packets shorter than an Ethernet header cause an out-of-bounds read without demonstrated data disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98375
Published
Oct 9, 2026
Updated
Oct 9, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 9, 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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  1. Affected versionversion=0d160211965b79de989cf2d170985abeb8da5ec6 <089e58805c452e52179482b1025a8e309a57f801
  2. Affected versionversion=2.6.23

What conditions does exploitation require?

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

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0d160211965b79de989cf2d170985abeb8da5ec6 <089e58805c452e52179482b1025a8e309a57f801; version=2.6.23

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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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