Dangling pointer in Linux kernel SCTP sendmsg after connect wait
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
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel SCTP implementation is affected from 4.16 until the fixed releases listed in the solution. After sctp_wait_for_connect() drops the socket lock, sctp_sendmsg_to_asoc() uses the association without checking whether it was already destroyed, which leaves a dangling pointer. An out-of-the-blue ABORT processed during the wait, combined with a concurrent shutdown(fd, SHUT_RD), can free the association while sendmsg still uses it.
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: sctp: check RCV_SHUTDOWN after the sendmsg connect wait sctp_wait_for_connect() drops the socket lock while it sleeps. An out-of-the-blue ABORT can then be processed from the socket backlog and unlink the association. If a concurrent shutdown(fd, SHUT_RD) sets RCV_SHUTDOWN, the waiter breaks with err == 0 before checking asoc->base.dead. Its final sctp_association_put() can then free the association, leaving sctp_sendmsg_to_asoc() to continue with a dangling pointer. Check RCV_SHUTDOWN along with the wait error in sctp_sendmsg_to_asoc() before using the association again. The check only accesses the socket, so it needs no additional association reference. Return the existing -ESRCH so that sctp_sendmsg() skips freeing a new association that may already have been destroyed. Keep sctp_wait_for_connect() unchanged to preserve its behavior for the connect() caller.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.16 and later | 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.16 and later Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3 for the stable branch that matches your release. The sources list no fixed version for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5, and no fix planned for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| 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 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98846
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-gghw-9hqp-85hc
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/Linux@1bef1944ef15a40797305bf916827b04df6307ca, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@1e7cd89975fa3b11ebd7e1bbb4648a71c0e0e2d4, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f798168c54455559da0f7a377a23ab7019fec35
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe5a23c76fc48b711eb7d6f3462c994e34da36f9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e7cd89975fa3b11ebd7e1bbb4648a71c0e0e2d4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bef1944ef15a40797305bf916827b04df6307ca
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e8f972b1759d26bbefe4c524caae1ed7c8a593bd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e701345d886e831fb593a0870d69c8c5de6fc938
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/222c41e0f50f1d5028be9baf0e1dcfc0bfa7f669
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f1da630d13de0370e2f6361f961f1c8b384af1c
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98846 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98846 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-gghw-9hqp-85hc · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98846 · 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