CVE-2026-98791Hinoki check available

Kernel crash via unchecked teardown timestamp completion

Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026

NULL dereference in Linux mlx5e allows local users to crash the kernel via AF_XDP transmit queue teardown with timestamps pending. The mlx5e_xsk_fill_timestamp() function reads a completion queue entry without checking whether teardown supplied a NULL pointer. The path requires an mlx5e-backed AF_XDP transmit queue with an outstanding timestamp request; the sources establish no data disclosure or privilege escalation.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

NULL dereference in Linux mlx5e allows local users to crash the kernel via AF_XDP transmit queue teardown with timestamps pending. The mlx5e_xsk_fill_timestamp() function reads a completion queue entry without checking whether teardown supplied a NULL pointer. The path requires an mlx5e-backed AF_XDP transmit queue with an outstanding timestamp request; the sources establish no data disclosure or privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98791
Published
Oct 18, 2026
Updated
Oct 18, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

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=6.8
  2. Affected versionversion=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <63df0ef4c6e3105589e6bb2e758ce611b0ada86c
  3. Affected versionversion=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <7b97273cbebe9dd4fddc457f0c4f2a124d0e3996
  4. Affected versionversion=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <f81d40e2eb69552334f510114f3e6edd0d43178b
  5. Affected versionversion=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <fce70b6bf9f3261e887419a4e7caa25b80fa9d55

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.8; version=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <63df0ef4c6e3105589e6bb2e758ce611b0ada86c; version=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <7b97273cbebe9dd4fddc457f0c4f2a124d0e3996; version=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <f81d40e2eb69552334f510114f3e6edd0d43178b; version=ec706a860eba99bf934d59f74b5db90af44e882e <fce70b6bf9f3261e887419a4e7caa25b80fa9d55

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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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