CVE-2026-98477Public exploit

Kernel crash via NULL perf scheduling context

Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026

NULL dereference in Linux perf/core allows local users to crash the kernel via CPU-wide branch-stack performance events. In kernel/events/core.c, __perf_pmu_sched_task() passes a NULL cpc->task_epc to armv8pmu_sched_task(), which dereferences the context to read its PMU pointer. The reported kernel oops requires Arm BRBE support, introduced in 6.17, and permission for system-wide performance monitoring; the report establishes no code execution or data disclosure.

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

NULL dereference in Linux perf/core allows local users to crash the kernel via CPU-wide branch-stack performance events. In kernel/events/core.c, __perf_pmu_sched_task() passes a NULL cpc->task_epc to armv8pmu_sched_task(), which dereferences the context to read its PMU pointer. The reported kernel oops requires Arm BRBE support, introduced in 6.17, and permission for system-wide performance monitoring; the report establishes no code execution or data disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98477
Published
Oct 18, 2026
Updated
Oct 18, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 18, 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=6.2
  2. Affected versionversion=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <249a2bd87a0e57dc28f36e992807edc9cae309b5
  3. Affected versionversion=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <36bb85cf36cab15fb611cb44b78a5df06e4e69a2
  4. Affected versionversion=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <b5409311b606d536cc485f3706c242c2afa93edb
  5. Affected versionversion=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <ec15f6a50183fc01f470af74ad49900fb3731fca

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.2; version=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <249a2bd87a0e57dc28f36e992807edc9cae309b5; version=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <36bb85cf36cab15fb611cb44b78a5df06e4e69a2; version=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <b5409311b606d536cc485f3706c242c2afa93edb; version=bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b <ec15f6a50183fc01f470af74ad49900fb3731fca

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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