Vulnerability · Published Oct 18, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2026-98490net: openvswitch: conntrack: fix helper UAF due to extensions realloc

Critical 9.8

In plain English

A critical-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.7% (higher than 53% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)9.8Critical
Exploit odds (30 days)0.7%top 46.8% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsnot in CISA KEV
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: openvswitch: conntrack: fix helper UAF due to extensions realloc While calling the helpers, a raw pointer to the extensions area is wired into expectations list: -> nf_ct_helper() -> helper->help() -> nf_ct_expect_related_report() -> nf_ct_expect_insert() -> hlist_add_head_rcu(&exp->lnode, &master_help->expectations) In case the connection is not confirmed yet, more extensions can be added afterwards with *_ext_add() calls reallocating the extension space and leaving the now invalid pointer in the expectations list that is later accessed while removing the expectation. Make sure that helpers are called at the end after all the other extensions are already added. Note that the helper rejection now leaves the mark and labels set, but that's not different from how the NAT was handled before or how the mark and the labels were handled on confirmation failure. And there are no atomicity guarantees provided by the API anyway.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linuxno fix listedDEBIAN-CVE-2026-98490
Debian:13linux6.12.113-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98490
Debian:14linux7.2.9-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98490
Debian:12linux-6.126.12.113-1~deb12u1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux7.0.0-42.42UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-aws7.0.0-1016.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gcp7.0.0-1016.18UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-7.07.0.0-42.42~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-ibm7.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotgno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-bosno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oem-7.07.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oracle7.0.0-1015.16UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-riscv7.0.0-42.42.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-7.07.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-vmwareno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98490

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux cae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before f53d13a286fb275bda0efdf445b8a1e4dfcb717bcae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before 84d47a83b7b717576de0defab46b8823a22853b0cae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before 9f308197395c1a524b736e401cbc8a2ed7d246c9cae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before 18866dc1f525f9ee4de7709529d1ae1af8d8e8becae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before afcf362625190c5260530b1d6c7daa98831f6b83cae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before 5f23080a625dd7855ab91485c8d691a54a1979f0cae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before e02a83bb0b7a203f6a22f55ad5f426765560f811cae3a2627520c3795b54533c5328b77af3405dbe – before 1a4151e6be57b098b7a5ebfbde58585e83200cdc
Linux Linux 4.3

References