Kernel crash via underallocated standalone-channel vectors
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
NULL-pointer dereference in Linux fbnic allows attackers to crash the kernel via a maximum standalone-channel configuration. The fbnic_alloc_napi_vectors function excludes the maximum queue count from standalone allocation, recording 128 vectors but allocating only 64 for 64 transmit and 64 receive queues. Resource setup dereferences the resulting NULL entries; exposure requires the affected driver and channel layout, and the published patch does not establish attacker privileges or a remote trigger.
Summary
What happened
NULL-pointer dereference in Linux fbnic allows attackers to crash the kernel via a maximum standalone-channel configuration. The fbnic_alloc_napi_vectors function excludes the maximum queue count from standalone allocation, recording 128 vectors but allocating only 64 for 64 transmit and 64 receive queues. Resource setup dereferences the resulting NULL entries; exposure requires the affected driver and channel layout, and the published patch does not establish attacker privileges or a remote trigger.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98618
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6.11
- Affected versionversion=bc6107771bb4be3009168cfda24d22131c026fe8 <16ff1023213cc39c1a7ce737205c2a1a53c3a716
- Affected versionversion=bc6107771bb4be3009168cfda24d22131c026fe8 <1f4c73064a50f53d596c6f1d06d2d700f43c4b32
- Affected versionversion=bc6107771bb4be3009168cfda24d22131c026fe8 <6c903188b67617070017305a325fa326f270a43d
- Affected versionversion=bc6107771bb4be3009168cfda24d22131c026fe8 <9843e5fabd6ab296df9c025b1d0e5bf79a6b8a08
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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Your stack
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