Refcount bug in Linux kernel RDMA/core iwpm_get_nlmsg_request()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 7 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel RDMA/core component is affected from 3.16 before the fixed versions listed in the solution. In iwpm_get_nlmsg_request(), the reference count is initialized after the request is added to a global list, so another CPU can take a reference too early and trigger an addition-on-zero refcount bug. A local user with low privileges and high attack complexity can trigger this, and the CVSS vector rates the impact as high for confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/core: fix refcount bug in iwpm_get_nlmsg_request() iwpm_get_nlmsg_request() initializes refcount _after_ list_add_tail() making it accessible to global list where another CPU can kref_get() on nlmsg_request causing a refcount "addition on 0" bug. Fix this by initializing kref _before_ list_add_tail() so refcount for nlmsg_request can be incremented/decremented normally. In addition, also initialize every field before list_add_tail().
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 as affected with no fix planned, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 as affected with no fix available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. 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 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| 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 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98252
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-vh89-8c9p-vvg2
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-11 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-11 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-01 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/52c13c63bb3662c108244e7447055e30bf40244e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a91609032d47e77bcb37bc8f6e88d89340d2709
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce8a379598bd4058081416abea4279fd05a95374
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fbac8a56004b6ce54fbfe845d4b25da6e0b55e8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88e429a4e9bac3d2138011c5ca06254331f2587f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e15eb536be4f646ce683d2867572b2200be877f7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/117871cdb8927542abd7b65ce5995bf0265a8c05
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33fb59da49c4c3f5c2ec9f9d4447a56857a02c02
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98252 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98252 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-vh89-8c9p-vvg2 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98252 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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