nvmet: copy hostid into ctrl before creating PR pc_refs
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: 4 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel nvmet target stores a nil hostid in its per-namespace reservation refs when a namespace with reservations enabled exists before a host connects. The hostid is copied from the connect data after nvmet_ctrl_init_pr() has taken its snapshot, since commit 7b658153f1b8 removed the copy that ran before it. Preempt and Abort therefore never match the victim, so its in-flight I/O is not drained while the preempting host sees success. Linux kernel versions from 6.15 are affected, and fixes are available in 6.18.56, 7.2.10 and 7.3.
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: nvmet: copy the hostid into the ctrl before creating PR pc_refs Commit 6202783184bf ("nvmet: Improve nvmet_alloc_ctrl() interface and implementation") added a second uuid_copy() of args->hostid near the end of nvmet_alloc_ctrl(), and commit 7b658153f1b8 ("nvmet: Remove duplicate uuid_copy") removed the original copy that sat before nvmet_ctrl_init_pr() instead of the new one. Since then nvmet_ctrl_init_pr() snapshots ctrl->hostid into the per-controller per-namespace reservation refs while the uuid_copy() from the connect data runs later, after the controller is published. The ctrl is allocated with kzalloc(), so every pc_ref created on this path stores the nil UUID. pc_ref->hostid has a single consumer: nvmet_pr_set_ctrl_to_abort() matches it against the preempted registrant's hostid to kill and drain the victim's in-flight I/O for Preempt and Abort. The match can never hit with the nil UUID, so whenever a namespace with reservations enabled exists before a host connects, which includes every reconnect, Preempt and Abort silently degrades into a plain Preempt: the preempting host sees success while the victim's in-flight I/O is still in the air. Copy the hostid where the rest of the connect data is consumed, before the controller is published and before nvmet_ctrl_init_pr() takes its snapshot.
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 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3 or a later release. The fix copies the hostid where the rest of the connect data is consumed, before the controller is published and before nvmet_ctrl_init_pr() takes its snapshot. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 and 10 or for OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 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 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 |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98723
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-hpxm-6496-49xp
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-23 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98723 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98723 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-hpxm-6496-49xp · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98723 · 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