Read the docs
TI-2026-64436 Aliases CVE-2026-98038GHSA-cwcr-7vrq-384j

bpf: Keep refcount_acquire nullable for borrowed RCU kptrs

Priority LOW 22Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
—
Privileges required
—
User interaction
—
Attack complexity
—
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
—
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix

No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Keep refcount_acquire nullable for borrowed RCU kptrs bpf_refcount_acquire() is fallible for a borrowed reference because the object may have reached a zero refcount. The verifier therefore keeps KF_RET_NULL on the return value unless the argument is an owning reference. An RCU-protected load of a local kptr is marked MEM_ALLOC, but it only receives NON_OWN_REF when the pointee contains a graph node. A refcounted object without a graph node consequently looks like an owning reference even though the loaded register has no acquired reference state. If the program drops the last real reference while remaining in the RCU critical section, refcount_inc_not_zero() returns NULL while the verifier treats the result as non-NULL. Only classify the argument as owning when it is backed by a verifier-tracked reference. This retains the non-NULL return for pointers from bpf_obj_new(), bpf_kptr_xchg(), or an earlier successful acquisition, while requiring a NULL check for borrowed RCU kptrs. [ kkd: Rewrote commit log ]

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00215 11th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 6.12.114, 6.18.57, 7.2.7 +1Red Hat: 4 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux6.8 and later6.12.114, 6.18.57, 7.2.7, 7.3Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.8 and later Fixed in 6.12.114, 6.18.57, 7.2.7, 7.3 Patch available CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.114, 6.18.57, 7.2.7, 7.3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Not affected: 5 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
  • Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98038
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cwcr-7vrq-384j
  3. 2026-10-16 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@8d19e2cdfba9ba8c8eb6a459cd666bec00a1d2c6 · CNA
  4. 2026-10-16 1 new reference · CNA
  5. 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
  6. 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@85bfc8b6db43502444c428eaa2de20bdd2fb9064 · CNA
  7. 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
  8. 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

Other 4

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
See all 21741 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences