CVE-2026-98812Hinoki check available

Kernel crash via premature MCTP device publication

Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026

A race in Linux MCTP device initialization allows local users to trigger a kernel crash during concurrent message transmission. In net/mctp/device.c, mctp_add_dev() publishes dev->mctp_ptr before assigning mdev->dev, allowing an RCU reader to dereference a NULL net_device pointer. Reachability requires MCTP support and a message send overlapping device initialization; minimum privileges and attacker control over that timing are not documented.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

A race in Linux MCTP device initialization allows local users to trigger a kernel crash during concurrent message transmission. In net/mctp/device.c, mctp_add_dev() publishes dev->mctp_ptr before assigning mdev->dev, allowing an RCU reader to dereference a NULL net_device pointer. Reachability requires MCTP support and a message send overlapping device initialization; minimum privileges and attacker control over that timing are not documented.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-98812
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=5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <63120572edde85bb2b70b0ed4d4817ed52247613
  3. Affected versionversion=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <aadf655e8ea9a8ffa24bb8d69f504572e8d18181
  4. Affected versionversion=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <af6e4f931afc2d670d133aa2bedc8b6e3753c618
  5. Affected versionversion=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <f37f42e6e039a48c2dcf6c079b9f7fbc864ab7ef

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15; version=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <63120572edde85bb2b70b0ed4d4817ed52247613; version=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <aadf655e8ea9a8ffa24bb8d69f504572e8d18181; version=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <af6e4f931afc2d670d133aa2bedc8b6e3753c618; version=583be982d93479ea3d85091b0fd0b01201ede87d <f37f42e6e039a48c2dcf6c079b9f7fbc864ab7ef

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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