Integer overflow in Linux kernel af_packet retire block timeout
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 af_packet socket code from 3.2 onward computes a packet ring block retire timeout in 32-bit integers, which overflows for user-chosen block sizes. The overflow produces a negative timeout that makes a timer re-fire at the maximum rate, so a local user with CAP_NET_RAW can make one CPU spin in softirq context until the socket is closed.
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: af_packet: fix integer overflow in prb_calc_retire_blk_tmo() prb_calc_retire_blk_tmo() computes in 32-bit int arithmetic: mbits = (blk_size_in_bytes * 8) / (1024 * 1024); If I'm reading the validation right, tp_block_size is user controlled and packet_set_ring() only rejects values that are <= 0 as int or not page aligned, so a 256MiB block goes right through (and alloc_one_pg_vec_page() even has a vzalloc fallback for it). 0x10000000 * 8 wraps to INT_MIN, and on a NIC reporting 1 Gbps (div == 1) the function ends up returning -2047. The condition is actually (8 * size) mod 2^32 >= 2^31 && div == 1, so the trigger set is [256,512), [768,1024), [1280,1536) and [1792,2048) MiB. Other sizes wrap to non-negative values and faster links divide the unsigned value back below 2^31, which is why this doesn't blow up for everyone. What makes it fatal is what happens next in init_prb_bdqc(): p1->interval_ktime = ms_to_ktime(prb_calc_retire_blk_tmo(...)); hrtimer_start(&p1->retire_blk_timer, p1->interval_ktime, HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT); A negative relative timeout expires immediately. The callback unconditionally returns HRTIMER_RESTART, and hrtimer_forward() turns the negative interval into hrtimer_resolution: if (interval < hrtimer_resolution) interval = hrtimer_resolution; So the SOFT timer re-fires at the maximum rate forever, holding sk_receive_queue.lock each pass. One CPU spins in softirq until the socket is closed. Repeat with more rings and the machine is gone. The overflow itself is ancient - it was introduced together with TPACKET_V3 in f6fb8f100b80 ("af-packet: TPACKET_V3 flexible buffer implementation."). Its effect prior to f7460d2989fa ("net: af_packet: Use hrtimer to do the retire operation", v6.18) was not as clear-cut, though: the return value was stored into an unsigned short retire_blk_tov, so a negative result was truncated, and a 0-jiffy delay loop could be programmed as well. Neither is nearly as detrimental as the immediate maximum-rate spin the hrtimer conversion turned it into. (Unrelated to CVE-2019-20812 - that one was the ethtool failure path returning 0, which now returns DEFAULT_PRB_RETIRE_TOV.) Reproducer, needs CAP_NET_RAW (a --network host container has it by default) and a 1 Gbps NIC (QEMU e1000 works): int fd = socket(AF_PACKET, SOCK_RAW, htons(ETH_P_ALL)); bind(fd, ...); int v = TPACKET_V3; setsockopt(fd, SOL_PACKET, PACKET_VERSION, &v, sizeof(v)); struct tpacket_req3 req = { .tp_block_size = 0x10000000, .tp_block_nr = 1, .tp_frame_size = 2048, .tp_frame_nr = 0x10000000 / 2048, .tp_retire_blk_tov = 0, }; setsockopt(fd, SOL_PACKET, PACKET_RX_RING, &req, sizeof(req)); Compute in 64 bits instead. The operands are already bounded by the existing validation, so nothing else changes. If you'd prefer a different fix, just say so and I'll respin.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed versions for the Linux kernel are 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 and 7.3. Red Hat's plan for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 is no fix planned, and Red Hat's plan for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 is none 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, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 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
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98547
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-9w5q-r82v-2r6x
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-20 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/02afd75649a4e001031ed82153a5c39312ec0737
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb5b3838b9200dac04bfe33483db0ee8287456fb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/297acc571d5813db76b147c745b91031d5f9c960
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be1aacff399d519cc48d6b34354a54dd79041140
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b2bcc6a254d6f27823a56787668ae4ee8cdb6e71
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6279211e7d2456ecd195d236c9ee5e5c6fa5a17a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/218a944b9e035d4b47d59c69af6ca13319da15fb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/56d82862a0a243ac14ba11b6d7b57ddc2d064b95
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98547 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98547 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-9w5q-r82v-2r6x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98547 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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