Vulnerability · Published Oct 23, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2026-99078net/mlx5e: Prevent stale XSK buffer release on MPWQE refill retry

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 0.5% (higher than 40% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)9.8Critical
Exploit odds (30 days)0.5%top 60.3% 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/mlx5e: Prevent stale XSK buffer release on MPWQE refill retry With AF_XDP on a striding RQ, mlx5e defers releasing XSK buffers until an MPWQE is refilled. If XSK allocation then returns -ENOMEM, actual_wq_head is not advanced and a later NAPI poll retries the same WQE. mlx5e_free_rx_mpwqe() leaves each released slot marked as releasable. On retry it can therefore call xsk_buff_free() again through stale pointers after the frames have returned to the XSK pool and been reallocated. Set all skip_release_bitmap bits in the common error path of mlx5e_xsk_alloc_rx_mpwqe(). This matches mlx5e_alloc_rx_mpwqe(). A successful allocation already clears the bitmap after replacing every buffer, so retries become idempotent without changing the success path. Fault injection forced three consecutive failures for one selected MPWQE. Both an early allocation failure and a partial 8-of-16-buffer unwind released the original 16 XSK buffers only once. Each error left a full bitmap, the following NAPI retry skipped the release, and a later successful allocation cleared it. A 20-second AF_XDP zero-copy pressure run exercised 1,575,262 buffer allocation failures without invalid descriptors, WQE errors, or kernel warnings.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:13linux6.12.113-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-99078
Debian:14linux7.2.11-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-bosno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oem-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-vmwareno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-99078

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 4c2a1323680709078736a2886c754004e9fe42e6 – before f3a52e2ec2788a7f6b64137985c087188a54ad4f4c2a1323680709078736a2886c754004e9fe42e6 – before d215d09606b0fcd18ad1eb532995782a21cea49d4c2a1323680709078736a2886c754004e9fe42e6 – before 867119b4b588037724b85839d534465f0334d9bd4c2a1323680709078736a2886c754004e9fe42e6 – before 3d73a1164a8c6b4461907a65cb6c022ea4fd39af4c2a1323680709078736a2886c754004e9fe42e6 – before 63811edf512584c946e5e96b100e9e280703bbb5
Linux Linux 6.4

References