Kernel memory corruption via unchecked cache-key offsets
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
Out-of-bounds writes in Linux dm-pcache allow attackers to corrupt kernel memory via crafted persistent-cache metadata. cache_key_decode() accepts an unchecked logical offset that get_subtree() uses to index req_key_tree->subtrees[], causing rb_insert() to write outside the array during replay. Exploitation requires supplying a crafted cache device for a CAP_SYS_ADMIN table load; the disclosed consequence is kernel memory corruption, not demonstrated code execution.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds writes in Linux dm-pcache allow attackers to corrupt kernel memory via crafted persistent-cache metadata. cache_key_decode() accepts an unchecked logical offset that get_subtree() uses to index req_key_tree->subtrees[], causing rb_insert() to write outside the array during replay. Exploitation requires supplying a crafted cache device for a CAP_SYS_ADMIN table load; the disclosed consequence is kernel memory corruption, not demonstrated code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98867
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
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=1d57628ff95b32d5cfa8d8f50e07690c161e9cf0 <10449703200076980704894c3d68d6796182371b
- Affected versionversion=1d57628ff95b32d5cfa8d8f50e07690c161e9cf0 <3d5a87cb909c1f375f08065b20123fa5db5958d8
- Affected versionversion=1d57628ff95b32d5cfa8d8f50e07690c161e9cf0 <97fc4b53dbe4a983fdf093243067fa6a64562307
- Affected versionversion=6.18
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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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
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Technologies
Your stack
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