Reference leak in Linux kernel net/sched action deletion
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
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 6.8 is affected by a reference leak in the net/sched action API. When a batched RTM_DELACTION request fails at an action bound to a filter, tcf_action_put_many() stops at the first empty slot and leaks references on the remaining actions. A later delete of an unbound action can then return success without removing it from the IDR.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-07
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: act_api: release tail references on DELACTION failure A batched RTM_DELACTION request takes a temporary reference on each action before attempting any deletion. tcf_action_delete() clears each processed slot and drops its temporary reference before attempting the deletion. If deletion fails, tca_action_gd() calls tcf_action_put_many() to release the remaining references, but its tcf_act_for_each_action() iterator stops at the first NULL slot. When a batch stops at an action bound to a filter, this leaks a reference on each subsequent action. A later delete of an unbound action can then return success without removing it from the IDR. Walk the full array in tcf_action_put_many() and skip NULL slots to release the references held on the unprocessed actions.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed Linux kernel versions are 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 and 7.3. Red Hat has no fix planned for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and lists no fix available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-07
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98235
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-2gfh-v7wp-gcg2
- 2026-10-10 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-10 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux vulnerabilities
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-98235 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98235 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-2gfh-v7wp-gcg2 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98235 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences