CVE-2026-98229

7.8 HIGH

Published 2026-10-06 · Updated 2026-10-07

AI risk analysis

Summary: The Linux kernel's XFRM subsystem has a race condition where it can dereference a freed security association (xfrm_state) after the secpath structure has been reset during packet processing. This occurs when receive callbacks like VTI and XFRM interfaces reset the secpath before xfrm_input() finishes using the state data, potentially leading to memory corruption or information disclosure.
Exploitability: Exploitation is moderately difficult and requires precise timing of packet processing paths with concurrent state deletion, but could be achieved through crafted network traffic that triggers specific XFRM processing sequences involving cross-namespace packet handling.
Blast radius: The vulnerability affects systems using XFRM-based IPsec tunnels (VTI and XFRM interfaces) and could impact network security, potentially allowing information disclosure or memory corruption in high-volume network environments with active IPsec processing.
Detection: No reliable host or network indicator is derivable from the published description.
Prioritized remediation: Apply kernel patch for Linux 6.12-rc1 or later, which includes the fix for xfrm_input() secpath reset race condition.

kernelxfrmnetworkmemory-corruptionipsec

Analysis generated locally by garnet-coder (no data left the box). AI-assisted — verify against primary sources before acting.

NVD description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: save input state data before secpath resets xfrm_input() stores the current xfrm_state in the skb secpath while it continues receive-side processing. Some input paths can reset that secpath before xfrm_input() has finished dereferencing the state. Receive callback users such as VTI and XFRM interfaces can reset the secpath. The VTI receive path does so before checking whether the packet crosses network namespaces, while the XFRM interface path does so only for cross-network-namespace packets. The XFRM_MAX_DEPTH error path can also reset the secpath before the final drop callback reports the current state's protocol. If secpath_reset() drops the last state reference while the state is concurrently deleted, xfrm_input() can still dereference the freed state when selecting transport_finish() or reporting the drop callback protocol. Save the state protocol on the stack while the state is still valid, and use the already saved address family for transport_finish(). A larval XFRM_STATE_ACQ state has no type, so retain nexthdr as its protocol. This preserves the existing drop-path fallback while avoiding the post-reset state dereferences without adding an extra state reference to every received packet.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

All references

Source data: NVD (nvd.nist.gov), public domain. Exploit-DB.ai adds local AI analysis for defensive use only.

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