CVE-2026-98230 (GCVE-0-2026-98230)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-10-06 08:45 – Updated: 2026-10-19 09:16
VLAI
Title
xfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input Commit 14acf9652e56 ("xfrm: defensively unhash xfrm_state lists in __xfrm_state_delete") converted bydst/bysrc/byseq/byspi from hlist_del_rcu() to hlist_del_init_rcu() so that a second __xfrm_state_delete() on the same object becomes a no-op rather than a write through LIST_POISON pprev. It missed state_cache and state_cache_input, which kept hlist_del_rcu(): - hlist_del_rcu() leaves pprev = LIST_POISON2 (non-NULL), so hlist_unhashed() returns false. - hlist_del_init_rcu() leaves pprev = NULL, so hlist_unhashed() returns true. A second __xfrm_state_delete() therefore enters __hlist_del() on the already-deleted state_cache/state_cache_input nodes and does WRITE_ONCE(*pprev, next) through LIST_POISON2 — a write use-after-free once the slab is reused. The corruption can in turn cause a subsequent hlist_for_each_entry_rcu traversal to follow a dangling next pointer, producing the read use-after-free reported in xfrm_input_state_lookup(). Switch state_cache and state_cache_input to hlist_del_init_rcu() to match the other four lists, closing the write use-after-free and, with it, the read use-after-free it spawns.
Severity
7 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Assigner
Linux CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard D 53/100 over 7056 records in the last 180 days details
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: aa48a18fdb0911572d133057cd579db704b87da4 , < fb38fb7420d5f7192f9e2b6ac835ede149cd7ac5 (git)
Affected: 0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365 , < 4748c27e2e6a1969e02f1df46e62f79d2799b80b (git)
Affected: 0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365 , < 9b74a47a4cbd0d29faff4f3b199212c73e6b6220 (git)
Affected: 0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365 , < 2afb8dc1f4390f164db8352f8e685e126e9db566 (git)
Affected: 5e4334dc39443645415450163ff5ff1ee7e79784 (git)
Affected: 6.12.13 , < 6.12.112 (semver)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Linux Linux Affected: 6.13
Unaffected: 0 , < 6.13 (semver)
Unaffected: 6.12.112 , ≤ 6.12.* (semver)
Unaffected: 6.18.54 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.2.8 , ≤ 7.2.* (semver)
Unaffected: 7.3 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "net/xfrm/xfrm_state.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "fb38fb7420d5f7192f9e2b6ac835ede149cd7ac5",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "aa48a18fdb0911572d133057cd579db704b87da4",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "4748c27e2e6a1969e02f1df46e62f79d2799b80b",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "9b74a47a4cbd0d29faff4f3b199212c73e6b6220",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "2afb8dc1f4390f164db8352f8e685e126e9db566",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5e4334dc39443645415450163ff5ff1ee7e79784",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.12.112",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.12.13",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "net/xfrm/xfrm_state.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.13"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.13",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.12.112",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.18.54",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2.8",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.3",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.112",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.12.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.54",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.2.8",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.3",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.13",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nxfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input\n\nCommit 14acf9652e56 (\"xfrm: defensively unhash xfrm_state lists in\n__xfrm_state_delete\") converted bydst/bysrc/byseq/byspi from\nhlist_del_rcu() to hlist_del_init_rcu() so that a second\n__xfrm_state_delete() on the same object becomes a no-op rather than a\nwrite through LIST_POISON pprev. It missed state_cache and\nstate_cache_input, which kept hlist_del_rcu():\n\n- hlist_del_rcu() leaves pprev = LIST_POISON2 (non-NULL), so\n  hlist_unhashed() returns false.\n- hlist_del_init_rcu() leaves pprev = NULL, so hlist_unhashed()\n  returns true.\n\nA second __xfrm_state_delete() therefore enters __hlist_del() on the\nalready-deleted state_cache/state_cache_input nodes and does\nWRITE_ONCE(*pprev, next) through LIST_POISON2 \u2014 a write use-after-free\nonce the slab is reused. The corruption can in turn cause a subsequent\nhlist_for_each_entry_rcu traversal to follow a dangling next pointer,\nproducing the read use-after-free reported in xfrm_input_state_lookup().\n\nSwitch state_cache and state_cache_input to hlist_del_init_rcu() to\nmatch the other four lists, closing the write use-after-free and, with\nit, the read use-after-free it spawns."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 7,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:L - The bad unlink is in __xfrm_state_delete(), reached when SAs are removed via XFRM_MSG_DELSA/FLUSHSA/EXPIRE over NETLINK_XFRM or the af_key socket, or via xfrm_timer_handler expiry. ESP packets only walk state_cache_input in xfrm_input_state_lookup() and carry no malformed data that causes the double unlink, so the vector is local.\nAC:H - A second unlink needs __xfrm_state_delete() to see a non-DEAD state that was already removed, but every caller holds x-\u003elock and checks km.state. The only path found that skips the VALID check is mlx5e_ipsec_handle_event(), which calls xfrm_state_check_expire() on a hardware hard-limit event and needs mlx5 packet offload, so the attacker cannot reliably arrange it.\nPR:L - Adding, expiring and flushing SAs over NETLINK_XFRM needs CAP_NET_ADMIN only in the user namespace that owns the netns. An unprivileged user gets it with unshare -Urn, and each netns has its own state_cache_input percpu lists and xfrm_state_lock.\nUI:N - The attacker drives the SA lifecycle (add, expire, delete, flush) and the traffic that fills the state caches themselves. No other user has to do anything.\nS:U - The corrupted hlist nodes are inside struct xfrm_state in kernel slab memory, so the impact stays within the kernel\u0027s own security authority.\nC:H - After the stale-pprev unlink, the state_cache_input chain can keep a freed xfrm_state, which hlist_for_each_entry_rcu in xfrm_input_state_lookup() then dereferences (the read UAF the commit reports). With slab reuse, an attacker can control the contents of that object.\nI:H - __hlist_del() on an already-unlinked state_cache/state_cache_input node does WRITE_ONCE(*pprev, next) through a stale pointer, a write use-after-free into reused slab memory that corrupts RCU hash-chain linkage.\nA:H - Writing through LIST_POISON2, or walking the corrupted per-CPU state_cache_input or policy state_cache_list chain, causes a general protection fault or KASAN oops in softirq or netns cleanup context, which takes down the kernel."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-10-19T09:16:02.121Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb38fb7420d5f7192f9e2b6ac835ede149cd7ac5"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4748c27e2e6a1969e02f1df46e62f79d2799b80b"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b74a47a4cbd0d29faff4f3b199212c73e6b6220"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2afb8dc1f4390f164db8352f8e685e126e9db566"
        }
      ],
      "title": "xfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-98230",
    "datePublished": "2026-10-06T08:45:04.548Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-09-25T10:25:14.328Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-10-19T09:16:02.121Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-98230",
      "date": "2026-10-25",
      "epss": "0.00118",
      "percentile": "0.01706"
    },
    "microsoft_vex": {
      "current_release_date": "2026-10-21T18:33:44.000Z",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-98230",
      "id": "msrc_CVE-2026-98230",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-10-20T22:23:24.000Z",
      "product_status:under_investigation": "1",
      "source": "Microsoft CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "xfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input",
      "url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/csaf/vex/2026/msrc_cve-2026-98230.json",
      "version": "2"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "product": "Linux",
                "programFiles": [
                  "net/xfrm/xfrm_state.c"
                ],
                "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
                "vendor": "Linux",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThan": "fb38fb7420d5f7192f9e2b6ac835ede149cd7ac5",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "aa48a18fdb0911572d133057cd579db704b87da4",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "4748c27e2e6a1969e02f1df46e62f79d2799b80b",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "9b74a47a4cbd0d29faff4f3b199212c73e6b6220",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "2afb8dc1f4390f164db8352f8e685e126e9db566",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0045e3d80613cc7174dc15f189ee6fc4e73b9365",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "5e4334dc39443645415450163ff5ff1ee7e79784",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.12.112",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.12.13",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "defaultStatus": "affected",
                "product": "Linux",
                "programFiles": [
                  "net/xfrm/xfrm_state.c"
                ],
                "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
                "vendor": "Linux",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "6.13"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThan": "6.13",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "6.12.112",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "6.18.54",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "7.2.8",
                    "versionType": "semver"
                  },
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                    "status": "unaffected",
                    "version": "7.3",
                    "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nxfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input\n\nCommit 14acf9652e56 (\"xfrm: defensively unhash xfrm_state lists in\n__xfrm_state_delete\") converted bydst/bysrc/byseq/byspi from\nhlist_del_rcu() to hlist_del_init_rcu() so that a second\n__xfrm_state_delete() on the same object becomes a no-op rather than a\nwrite through LIST_POISON pprev. It missed state_cache and\nstate_cache_input, which kept hlist_del_rcu():\n\n- hlist_del_rcu() leaves pprev = LIST_POISON2 (non-NULL), so\n  hlist_unhashed() returns false.\n- hlist_del_init_rcu() leaves pprev = NULL, so hlist_unhashed()\n  returns true.\n\nA second __xfrm_state_delete() therefore enters __hlist_del() on the\nalready-deleted state_cache/state_cache_input nodes and does\nWRITE_ONCE(*pprev, next) through LIST_POISON2 \u2014 a write use-after-free\nonce the slab is reused. The corruption can in turn cause a subsequent\nhlist_for_each_entry_rcu traversal to follow a dangling next pointer,\nproducing the read use-after-free reported in xfrm_input_state_lookup().\n\nSwitch state_cache and state_cache_input to hlist_del_init_rcu() to\nmatch the other four lists, closing the write use-after-free and, with\nit, the read use-after-free it spawns."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-98230",
        "lastModified": "2026-10-19T10:18:23.767",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 7.0,
                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 1.0,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
              "type": "Secondary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2026-10-06T09:18:10.397",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2afb8dc1f4390f164db8352f8e685e126e9db566"
          },
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4748c27e2e6a1969e02f1df46e62f79d2799b80b"
          },
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b74a47a4cbd0d29faff4f3b199212c73e6b6220"
          },
          {
            "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb38fb7420d5f7192f9e2b6ac835ede149cd7ac5"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "vulnStatus": "Received"
      }
    },
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-10-18T08:22:59+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-98230",
      "id": "CVE-2026-98230",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-10-06T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_affected": "14",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "263",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: xfrm: use hlist_del_init_rcu for state_cache and state_cache_input",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98230.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.




Drag nodes to arrange them. Double-click a related vulnerability to open it, or a source to visit its link. The Physics button on the left tunes the layout and the simulation; the legend at the bottom left hides or shows nodes by kind and by sighting type.

Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

JSON

Loading timeline…




    Related by attack behaviour

    Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.