Broadcast hang via unchecked TIPC acknowledgment accounting
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
ACK validation failure in Linux 4.15 TIPC allows attackers to hang group broadcasts through crafted acknowledgment messages. The tipc_group_proto_rcv() handler accepts unexpected GRP_ACK_MSG values and decrements the unsigned bc_ackers counter without verifying that an acknowledgment is outstanding for the current round. Triggering requires messages associated with a recognized group member; counter underflow permanently blocks subsequent broadcasts on the affected socket, rather than crashing the kernel.
Summary
What happened
ACK validation failure in Linux 4.15 TIPC allows attackers to hang group broadcasts through crafted acknowledgment messages. The tipc_group_proto_rcv() handler accepts unexpected GRP_ACK_MSG values and decrements the unsigned bc_ackers counter without verifying that an acknowledgment is outstanding for the current round. Triggering requires messages associated with a recognized group member; counter underflow permanently blocks subsequent broadcasts on the affected socket, rather than crashing the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98550
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- 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=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <12cc3a1eac5a2a06b67a7b85f0f48ff241a94d1b
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <478fb08d0c2a53002a721d22b8d6681ec971d90f
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <507a27435b2bb1f22e3a3674f6a6553eb815021b
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <80a9ccfc24d3776ef6753a57315e726475fac7d7
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <99cc2a62e07a44a22254d7beca9ef1f8ad886d0d
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <9b94a90651e1fa573c6ac6a5a6b269d5874df2c0
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <b0e517961f09b9f60d338d1ea4e17aacdbf206f0
- Affected versionversion=2f487712b89376fce267223bbb0db93d393d4b09 <edc6593c442278fceff0120e8cc58bc592168c35
- Affected versionversion=4.15
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
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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