bpf: Mark the zero register precise for a register-form NULL check
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Mark the zero register precise for a register-form NULL check check_cond_jmp_op() accepts "if rA <op> rB" as a NULL check for a nullable pointer rA when rB is a scalar known to be zero, lifts PTR_MAYBE_NULL from rA in the corresponding branch and does not mark rB precise. Consider the following program: r0 = bpf_get_prandom_u32(); r6 = 1; /* the r6 == 0 path is explored first */ if (r0 == 0) goto 1f; r6 = 0; 1: r0 = bpf_map_lookup_elem(map, &0); /* absent, NULL at runtime */ if (r0 == r6) goto 2f; /* taken as a NULL check for r0 */ *(u8 *)(r0 + 0); /* verifier: map value; runtime: zero */ 2: return 0; The r6 == 0 path is explored first and the dereference is accepted. The r6 == 1 path is pruned at the checkpoint recorded for (1), so the comparison is never verified with a non-zero r6. At runtime a failed lookup returns NULL, NULL != 1 takes the non-NULL edge and the program dereferences a pointer that is zero.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 7.2.7, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 7 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- 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
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98040
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xg34-pxxf-5frp
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux vulnerabilities
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- 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-98040 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98040 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xg34-pxxf-5frp · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98040 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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