Kernel diagnostic via unprotected batch deletion
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
Missing migration protection in Linux 7.2 BPF allows local users to trigger a kernel diagnostic via batch map deletion. In __rhtab_map_lookup_and_delete_batch(), the deletion loop relies only on rcu_read_lock(), allowing CPU migration while bpf_mem_cache_free_rcu() accesses per-CPU storage. Reachability requires CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU and access to the affected BPF map operations; the upstream report establishes a diagnostic, not a crash or privilege escalation.
Summary
What happened
Missing migration protection in Linux 7.2 BPF allows local users to trigger a kernel diagnostic via batch map deletion. In __rhtab_map_lookup_and_delete_batch(), the deletion loop relies only on rcu_read_lock(), allowing CPU migration while bpf_mem_cache_free_rcu() accesses per-CPU storage. Reachability requires CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU and access to the affected BPF map operations; the upstream report establishes a diagnostic, not a crash or privilege escalation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98787
- 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=7.2
- Affected versionversion=818e0084822742fc00eacbf5df3476a5e72c7d0e <94f41ec5fa578765b74ad5736c2f029e7aabc46d
- Affected versionversion=818e0084822742fc00eacbf5df3476a5e72c7d0e <de020dc8049bfb2b22e3b6d99c031feb2e22d112
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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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
- syzbot C reproducer for BPF per-CPU access diagnosticproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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