Dst reference leak for uncached IPv6 routes in Linux kernel
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: 2 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 6.11 is affected by a flaw in its IPv6 routing code. A race during device unregistration can make the kernel treat an uncached route as cached, so the route's destination entry is never released and the device it references stays in use. The source does not describe the attacker's privileges or access requirements.
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: ipv6: Fix dst leak for uncached routes. ip6_route_output_flags(), ip6_rt_put_flags(), and ip6_dst_check() detect an uncached route by list_empty(&rt->dst.rt_uncached), which replaced the static DST_NOCACHE flag check in commit a4c2fd7f7891 ("net: remove DST_NOCACHE flag"). When a device is unregistered, rt6_uncached_list_flush_dev() unlinks uncached routes tied to the device from rt6_uncached_list. Previously, they were moved to another list with list_move() (__list_del_entry() + list_add()), and since commit 98aa546af5e4 ("inet: remove (struct uncached_list)->quarantine"), the routes are just unlinked with list_del_init(). If list_del_init() runs concurrently, list_empty() evaluates to true; ip6_route_output_flags() calls dst_hold_safe() incorrectly and ip6_rt_put_flags() skips ip6_rt_put(), leaking dst, and thus dev tied via rt->from as well. The same race is partially fixed by commit 9a6f0c4d5796 ("dst: fix races in rt6_uncached_list_del() and rt_del_uncached_list()"). Let's check rt6->dst.rt_uncached_list instead. Note that IPv4 does not have the same issue.
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 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3, depending on the release branch. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 has 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 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 |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98596
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-gvvq-54cj-7xg4
- 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
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98596 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98596 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-gvvq-54cj-7xg4 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98596 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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