Rule-matching failure via stale catchall elements
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
Linux nf_tables has an expiration-check flaw that allows local users to disrupt catchall matching via set updates. nft_setelem_catchall_insert() and nft_setelem_catchall_deactivate() treat expired entries as live candidates, blocking reinsertion or selecting stale entries for deletion despite their absence from dumps. Triggering requires firewall-management privileges and timed catchall elements; matching failures persist until garbage collection, without a reported kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
Linux nf_tables has an expiration-check flaw that allows local users to disrupt catchall matching via set updates. nft_setelem_catchall_insert() and nft_setelem_catchall_deactivate() treat expired entries as live candidates, blocking reinsertion or selecting stale entries for deletion despite their absence from dumps. Triggering requires firewall-management privileges and timed catchall elements; matching failures persist until garbage collection, without a reported kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98484
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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?
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- Affected versionversion=5.13
- Affected versionversion=aaa31047a6d25da0fa101da1ed544e1247949b40 <12cf803edfffef96f6415f0b5dbc7ec88842ea0f
- Affected versionversion=aaa31047a6d25da0fa101da1ed544e1247949b40 <2f07da3881525f7cbfed1ced2796c71a201505b9
- Affected versionversion=aaa31047a6d25da0fa101da1ed544e1247949b40 <4fb8b1ccc475651e480e509de126bb9ce7f3cff9
- Affected versionversion=aaa31047a6d25da0fa101da1ed544e1247949b40 <70194dc37670bd08e44b471389861cc01bd3a3c9
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
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
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