CVE-2026-98485Network attack vector

Kernel panic via zero-address routing-rule out-of-bounds read

Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026

Out-of-bounds reads in Linux netfilter ip6t_rt allow remote attackers to trigger kernel panics through crafted IPv6 routing headers. The rt_mt6_check() validator accepts a zero-address matching rule, and rt_mt6() then advances past its address array because its equality-based exit test misses the zero limit. Exploitation requires an installed non-strict address-matching rule with a zero address count and matching packet addresses; the documented outcomes are sanitizer warnings or kernel panics, not disclosure of kernel memory.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds reads in Linux netfilter ip6t_rt allow remote attackers to trigger kernel panics through crafted IPv6 routing headers. The rt_mt6_check() validator accepts a zero-address matching rule, and rt_mt6() then advances past its address array because its equality-based exit test misses the zero limit. Exploitation requires an installed non-strict address-matching rule with a zero address count and matching packet addresses; the documented outcomes are sanitizer warnings or kernel panics, not disclosure of kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98485
Published
Oct 18, 2026
Updated
Oct 18, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <191239b0939692e92459d8d32cad14247fa93f89
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5a54f8b7f7fe207a5c14713015a5820588faf1ad
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <82313c169eddc02b1bf5ba6b427803e272d3ec42
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <959d1829d1ce8b91b435b24a923b51bcc8897090
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b89249819a7d6698bed152feafd3bc6c08489d15
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d9cf4ac6f326330e1fe4d95671d36a6ff3593f64
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dd55c0ea87bf70e4e4b3b683acd29ef981335b26
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fe336bab13834394320997de8b16ca4a913b4f13
  9. Affected versionversion=2.6.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <191239b0939692e92459d8d32cad14247fa93f89; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5a54f8b7f7fe207a5c14713015a5820588faf1ad; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <82313c169eddc02b1bf5ba6b427803e272d3ec42; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <959d1829d1ce8b91b435b24a923b51bcc8897090; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b89249819a7d6698bed152feafd3bc6c08489d15; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d9cf4ac6f326330e1fe4d95671d36a6ff3593f64; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dd55c0ea87bf70e4e4b3b683acd29ef981335b26; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fe336bab13834394320997de8b16ca4a913b4f13; version=2.6.12

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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

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Your stack

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