Memory corruption via IPL parameter size underflow
Published Oct 14, 2026 · Updated Oct 14, 2026
Linux s390 boot code allows attackers to corrupt memory via IPL parameters when the kernel command line fills its buffer. In arch/s390/boot/ipl_parm.c, append_ipl_block_parm() supplies a zero capacity and an out-of-buffer destination to conversion helpers, whose unsigned subtraction underflows. Reaching the write requires a nearly full boot command line and IPL parameter input; the published evidence does not establish attacker privileges or a crash or code-execution outcome.
Summary
What happened
Linux s390 boot code allows attackers to corrupt memory via IPL parameters when the kernel command line fills its buffer. In arch/s390/boot/ipl_parm.c, append_ipl_block_parm() supplies a zero capacity and an out-of-buffer destination to conversion helpers, whose unsigned subtraction underflows. Reaching the write requires a nearly full boot command line and IPL parameter input; the published evidence does not establish attacker privileges or a crash or code-execution outcome.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98403
- Published
- Oct 14, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 14, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 14, 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=5.16
- Affected versionversion=5ecb2da660ab8eddafe059a6a8a708465db89ca2 <73eec5a0d55916d7e1115f5d03a7ffc06d6215cf
- Affected versionversion=5ecb2da660ab8eddafe059a6a8a708465db89ca2 <8d11bfec8666f8409fac9072e9c25b691d3e30ac
- Affected versionversion=5ecb2da660ab8eddafe059a6a8a708465db89ca2 <af9866021a00ab9eeacf0c33ee73f3d134b4ed70
- Affected versionversion=5ecb2da660ab8eddafe059a6a8a708465db89ca2 <d76181dfabdaa720703167393704efacba343442
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