Vulnerability · Published Oct 18, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2026-98503packet: use ubuf_info completion for TX_RING packets

Unrated

In plain English

A 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 0.2% (higher than 10% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS )–Not rated
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 90.1% 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: packet: use ubuf_info completion for TX_RING packets tpacket_snd sends skbs with frags pointing into its ring slots. Slots are released when skb->destructor is called. A call to skb_orphan calls skb->destructor before the skb is freed. This can cause the slot to be reused while still linked into the skb. Switch to standard zerocopy completion (ubuf_info) so the slot is only released once all references to the payload are freed or copied. Restore skb->destructor to standard sock_wfree. The ubuf_info completion callback can be called with a NULL skb, but only from net_zcopy_put and related API, used by zerocopy implementations that hold their own reference on the uarg, such as MSG_ZEROCOPY. This uarg is only ever completed from skb_zcopy_clear, so skb is always set. To prevent userspace from aliasing in-flight state on shared ring slots, allocate tpacket_uarg per packet, rather than per slot. This adds a small allocation to the transmit path. Use standard kmalloc to allow backporting to stable kernels. The uarg holds an sk_wmem_alloc reference, rather than an sk_refcnt reference. packet_free_tx_ring waits on sk_wmem_alloc before freeing the ring pages. Always allocate vec->deferred for tx_ring so page-backed rings also wait on sk_wmem_alloc when skb_copy_ubufs drops page refs before calling tpacket_ubuf_complete. Drop the tx_ring.pg_vec test that tpacket_destruct_skb performed before accessing the slot. The sk_wmem_alloc reference now guarantees that the slot is valid. The test is also not sufficient by itself, as it reads pg_vec without pg_vec_lock, so it can race with packet_set_ring. As a result a slot is released when its payload is copied, which can be before transmission (e.g., in skb_orphan_frags_rx). If copied before skb_tx_timestamp() is called, no slot timestamp is recorded, similar to when skb_orphan() was called early in the datapath before this patch. Revert the now unused previous skb_zcopy_.._nouarg infra. Depends on commit 992cc9f94ca9 ("net/packet: defer vmalloc TX_RING free until skbs finish").

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linuxno fix listedDEBIAN-CVE-2026-98503
Debian:13linux6.12.113-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98503
Debian:14linux7.2.9-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98503
Debian:12linux-6.126.12.113-1~deb12u1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux7.0.0-42.42UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-aws7.0.0-1016.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gcp7.0.0-1016.18UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-7.07.0.0-42.42~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-ibm7.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotgno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-bosno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oem-7.07.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oracle7.0.0-1015.16UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-riscv7.0.0-42.42.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-7.07.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-vmwareno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98503

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 5cd8d46ea1562be80063f53c7c6a5f40224de623 – before e67c455d79fbf709a94965f09a2be6bf4f4ba5fd5cd8d46ea1562be80063f53c7c6a5f40224de623 – before eda9bcb721f15a93746a99eabda33d80b86404fd5cd8d46ea1562be80063f53c7c6a5f40224de623 – before 2a0c9afefc0ecea2cc30ccfbbbc98182a09861915cd8d46ea1562be80063f53c7c6a5f40224de623 – before 9518405613863d0bf0700927a21367f5942cf05867f6fba765ef8cb19089d476e3c367212a2fbdfdf2a67e68dbaeae7c88e5522873d7b908911f9f774.14.86 – before 4.154.19.7 – before 4.20
Linux Linux 4.20

References