Linux kernel EDAC Altera ECC setup may use freed init memory
Key facts
- Attack vector
- —
- Privileges required
- —
- User interaction
- —
- Attack complexity
- —
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- —
- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The Linux kernel, from 5.2, marks the EDAC Altera ECC setup functions as __init. These functions run from the probe path, which can execute after init memory is freed, for example when a probe is deferred or a device is rebound manually. Calling them then reads freed memory, so the fix removes __init from these setup paths.
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: EDAC/altera: Drop __init from ECC setup paths for re-probe safety Sashiko reports: "Does suppressing sysfs unbinding fully prevent the execution of freed __init memory? If altr_sysmgr_regmap_lookup_by_phandle() returns -EPROBE_DEFER, the probe is deferred until after __init memory is freed." The a10 EDAC .setup callbacks (sdmmc, ethernet, nand, dma, usb, qspi) and their helpers (altr_init_a10_ecc_device_type, altr_init_a10_ecc_block) were marked __init. These run from the probe path, which may execute after init memory is freed -- e.g. a probe deferred via -EPROBE_DEFER that only succeeds once a late/module dependency appears, or a manual unbind/rebind. Calling __init code then dereferences freed memory. Remove __init so these functions remain valid at runtime.
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 6.18.56, 7.2.10 and 7.3.
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 →
Not affected: 7 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- 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
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98740
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-rrjq-wrm9-p6gm
- 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
More Linux vulnerabilities
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-98740 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98740 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rrjq-wrm9-p6gm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98740 · 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