Kernel memory corruption via stale-cookie transport reuse
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux SCTP allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory through crafted peer traffic during association setup. The sctp_assoc_bh_rcv() function retains a removed transport in last_data_from after stale-cookie processing, leaving subsequent SACK handling to access freed memory. Exposure requires SCTP peer interaction during the COOKIE-ECHOED state; local users can also trigger it without capabilities, but code execution is not established.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux SCTP allows remote attackers to corrupt kernel memory through crafted peer traffic during association setup. The sctp_assoc_bh_rcv() function retains a removed transport in last_data_from after stale-cookie processing, leaving subsequent SACK handling to access freed memory. Exposure requires SCTP peer interaction during the COOKIE-ECHOED state; local users can also trigger it without capabilities, but code execution is not established.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98548
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1cd246b214dc9acf4e2f11d58c035e1e672fe7d2
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <4498467a8af06cfa3d71cb04bd7c4170dec8f449
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6df536c5acbc0abd6f119d02e24f4a2ed97707f4
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <854c053c71459f8db7ef07db9cfa4eec5f5206f2
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <965e21ea16acb394d5e5801998ca9b0adc669665
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c0af3fd150fdc43821df3bb77e5ec74faf4dfc7a
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d68c9287b3ca0d6faadc61fbcb18d1a6b5493321
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ec23855274a73906b02f0d124fefd9cb3c008b1d
- Affected versionversion=2.6.12
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.
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Technologies
Your stack
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