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TI-2026-68177 Aliases CVE-2026-98286GHSA-g656-78v2-2243

Use-after-free in Linux kernel drop_monitor timer teardown

Priority LOW 22Published · Updated

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: 6 without a fix

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

Summary

The Linux kernel drop_monitor component is affected from 5.10.27 before 5.11, from 5.11.11 before 5.12, and from 5.12. The teardown code stops per-CPU timers with timer_delete_sync(), but a worker can re-arm them after that call returns when a memory allocation fails. Once the module is unloaded, the timer fires and runs freed code, causing a kernel panic or use-after-free.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Description from the CNA

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drop_monitor: use timer_shutdown_sync() to prevent timer rearming during teardown In drop_monitor teardown paths (net_dm_trace_off_set(), net_dm_hw_monitor_stop(), and error unwind paths in net_dm_trace_on_set() and net_dm_hw_monitor_start()), per-CPU timers are stopped using timer_delete_sync() followed by cancel_work_sync(). However, there is a circular dependency between send_timer and dm_alert_work: 1) sched_send_work() (timer callback) schedules dm_alert_work. 2) send_dm_alert() / net_dm_hw_summary_work() calls reset_per_cpu_data() or net_dm_hw_reset_per_cpu_data(). 3) If memory allocation fails under memory pressure in the reset function, it re-arms the timer via mod_timer(&data->send_timer, ...). If dm_alert_work is running concurrently while timer_delete_sync() executes on another CPU, an allocation failure in the worker will re-arm the timer after timer_delete_sync() has already returned. Once cancel_work_sync() completes and module_put() is called, the timer remains active in the timer wheel. If the module is then unloaded, the timer will fire and execute sched_send_work() in freed memory, triggering a kernel panic / use-after-free. Switch from timer_delete_sync() to timer_shutdown_sync(). This guarantees that any in-flight timer handler has finished and prevents subsequent re-arming attempts from running workers from succeeding. When monitoring is restarted later, timer_setup() is invoked, which cleanly re-initializes the timer.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00166 5th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 5.11, 5.12, 6.18.54 +2Red Hat: 6 without a fix

SSVC decision points

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

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux5.10.27 to before 5.11; 5.11.11 to before 5.125.11, 5.12Patch availableCNA
LinuxLinux5.12 and later6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.10.27 to before 5.11; 5.11.11 to before 5.12 Fixed in 5.11, 5.12 Patch available CNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.12 and later Fixed in 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 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

Upgrade the Linux kernel to a fixed version: 5.11, 5.12, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 have no fix available, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 has no fix planned.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.11, 5.12
  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo 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: 1 product
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98286
  2. 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-g656-78v2-2243
  3. 2026-10-11 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-11 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  6. 2026-10-16 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
  7. 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
  8. 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

  • 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