Receive buffer leak in Linux kernel RDMA MAD when PKey check fails
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: 7 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel RDMA MAD layer from version 4.13 is affected. When PKey enforcement fails, the receive buffer is never linked to the list that the error path frees, so it leaks. A remote node can repeatedly send MADs with a wrong PKey, leaking about 300 bytes per IB port MAD and about 2K per OPA MAD.
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: RDMA/mad: Fix receive buffer leak when PKey enforcement fails ib_mad_complete_recv() initializes mad_recv_wc->rmpp_list and then runs ib_mad_enforce_security() before linking recv_buf onto that list. On failure it calls ib_free_recv_mad(), which only walks rmpp_list and frees the ib_mad_private of every buffer found there. As the list is still empty at that point, nothing is freed at all. The caller cannot clean up either: ib_mad_recv_done() sets recv to NULL right after ib_mad_complete_recv() returns, assuming the MAD layer took ownership of the buffer. Every MAD that fails the PKey check therefore leaks one ib_mad_private (about 300 bytes per IB port MAD, ~2K for OPA), and a remote node can trigger this repeatedly by sending MADs with a wrong PKey. Link recv_buf onto rmpp_list right after the list is initialized, so the error path has something to free.
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 with no fix planned, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 with no fix available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- 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-2026-98354
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-q823-95hw-ffc6
- 2026-10-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-09 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-09 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-16 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4617c9a856188674dddb0ca66979746d07688579
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8e2036fb47a5b152d53eadbd35abf311bd34cc7f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bad289e42f512646a988f278f536d21547df73f1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/752b30e9d339008e5ce7eed412e9446078916129
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39c4ea72a40503e102ae07e6776005f96ca078a6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5091e25ec503f7fc02723ca435226467b68caac7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0d8df85db146d6275e226cb950023be69dd6c77
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3476c28c9addfa253f505e6bd87f1f5598b961d0
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98354 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98354 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q823-95hw-ffc6 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98354 · 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